About SEIU Local 1

SEIU Local 1 2022-23 Brigade Team

SEIU Local 1 is committed to improving the lives of its members and all working people by winning real economic justice and standing at the forefront of the fight for immigrant, racial, and environmental justice. We do that by engaging, educating, and empowering members like you to lead on Local 1’s strategic priorities by providing the appropriate tools to succeed as leaders and help create a transformative union where members are invested in building a broader social movement.

Who is Local 1? Service Employees International Union Local 1 unites 50,000 working people in six states and 11 cities across the Midwest including Janitors, Security Officers, School Service Workers, Airport Workers, Factory Workers, Window Washers, Door Staff, Maintenance Workers, and more.

Local 1 is the founding Local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and was started in Chicago in 1904 by Residential Maintenance Workers. Throughout our long history, Local 1 members have fought together to raise and maintain high labor standards for Property Service Workers everywhere.

We are coming together for Labor, Racial, Environmental and Immigrant Justice across the Midwest in the following states:

Illinois

SEIU Local 1 represents more than 30,000 working people across the state of Illinois. Together, we represent thousands of members in sectors like: Security, Commercial, Institutional, Airports, Allied, Residential, Sports and Entertainment. We will continue to fight for all working families to win higher wages, better benefits and unions for all.

Missouri

 SEIU Local 1 unites  more than 5,000 commercial janitors, higher education faculty, food service workers, state workers in the Division of Probation and Parole, school custodians, patient care professionals and more across Missouri. Together, Local 1 members led the fight to raise the state’s minimum wage, repeal open shop laws and are fighting to create an economy that works for all of us, not just wealthy special interests.

Indiana

By standing together, SEIU Local 1 members in Indianapolis won a historic 4-year contract for security officers with record raises. With this victory, security officers saw that when we come together, we have the power to voice work issues and concerts to fight for a better future for our families. Together we will continue to fight for higher wages, dignity on the job and unions for all janitorial and security officers in Indiana.

Ohio

SEIU Local 1 is proud to have thousands of members across the Midwest, in states like Ohio where we fight to empower janitors, security officers, Child Nutrition workers and every day heroes that help keep our communities running. In the past year, Local 1 janitors held rallies and press conferences in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. In Cincinnati, our members in our janitorial workforce fought and won a historic contract with their One Cincinnati campaign that would bring in $5.3 million into the local economy with annual wages increases, paid time off and more. Janitors in Columbus rallied and marched to kick off their One Columbus campaign where they won higher wages of $6,240 in their pockets for their hard work after their 3-year contract. As we approach future campaigns for Child Nutrition workers, janitors  and security officers, we will continue to fight for dignity on the job for all hardworking Ohioans.

Michigan

In 2018 SEIU Local 1 janitors in Detroit launched the movement for One Detroit: a campaign to ensure that all working people can thrive amid the city’s resurgence. In the movement’s first major victory, union janitors fought and won a historic new contract with a path to $15 an hour—a path out of poverty for 1,700 of Detroit’s working families. Over the life of the contract, these wage increases will bring more than $9.3 million back into Detroit’s local economy and neighborhoods. Together, we are continuing to fight to win other hardworking Detroiters, including security officers who help secure downtown’s development and DTW contracted airport workers, at least $15 and respect on the job with the union and benefits they need so that they too can support their families.

Wisconsin

Local 1 represents downtown Milawukee janitors and security officers who keep the region safe and clean every day for the public.