Tom Balanoff
President Emeritus
As President Emeritus, Tom Balanoff has been an active force in the labor movement for 50 years. At a young age, he saw the world with the mind of an activist. His deep family roots in the engagement of the Anti-War, Civil Rights Movement, and the Labor Movement shaped his views and guided him on a path to being one of the longest service leaders for all working families. His progressive views were reflected in his education, as he took part in students' actions and always had one goal in mind: to empower those who don't have a voice. As a college graduate, Tom witnessed not only the rejection of the labor movement, but the dismantling of the hard work people had accomplished while fighting for their union and the right to win higher wages and safe work environments. He fought to resist this oppression alongside working people in the Fire Fighters Union, the Allied Industrial Workers' Union, and the Cement Workers Union.
Tom's commitment to empowering the working class caught the attention of SEIU International, which did not hesitate to recruit him. After 15 years of creating strategic plans and campaigns that positively and successfully impacted hardworking communities, Tom moved to Chicago in 1993 to become the Local 73 Trustee. In 1994, he was elected president, which helped shape the local's perspective and strengthen its industrial and political power. Tom joined the SEIU International Executive Board in 1995 and became SEIU Vice President a year later.
Tom's vision led to the crucial reorganization of Local 32BJ in New York City. As the Trustee, he turned the local around to be the largest building service local in the country with more than 70,000 members, using his leadership to better the lives of thousands of working families. By 2000, SEIU reorganized, and Tom became the president of the Property Service Local to lead and revolutionize the labor movement at SEIU Local 1. As one of the longest-serving leaders, his work continues to inspire many. He actively led numerous campaigns like the Justice for Janitors campaign.
By 2006, SEIU Local 1 had gone through a true transformation. Under Tom's leadership, Local 1 had improved the lives of more than 10,000 janitors, but the fight to empower janitors was far from over. Tom's fondest fight was in one of the largest private sectors in Houston, where janitors were paid as little as $20 a day. Tom fought alongside janitors in Houston, with a historic organization tactic, to win a union contract that would allow janitors to work full-time hours, with higher wages and affordable healthcare to take care of their families. Following this victory, more than 5,000 janitors in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis fought and won similar contracts only a couple of months later.
Tom didn't stop there. He also presided in SEIU's Property Service Division by overseeing work across the security sector and also provided leadership to the International Labor Movement.
As president and most importantly, leader of the Property Service Section of Union Network International—with more than 130 building service unions in 77 countries with 2 million members—Tom led global negotiations with the world's largest security companies, such as Securitas, Allied Barton, and G4S, leading to international recognition agreements for all hardworking security officers. Using national and global strategies, he helped create the National Framework Agreement (NFA) with the three largest security companies—through the NFA, SEIU became the largest security union in the country, successfully increasing its master contract from one city to 35! The NFA has helped working people form their union with a voice on the job, give unions access to talk to workers, and create a fund to raise standards for property service workers. Under Tom's leadership, SEIU became the largest security union worldwide.
Tom served as president of SEIU Illinois State Council, where within five years, its membership doubled to grow by 90,000 more members. His vision restructured the union into industry-based locals, gaining the strength to win rights for more than 100,000 low-wage workers in the healthcare and childcare industries.
Tom's leadership also spearheaded the crucial transformation and political restructuring of SEIU in Illinois. His leadership won key elections within City Hall, leading to victories that changed the nature of the City Council, such as the creation of the Chicago Progressive Caucus. Tom's devotion to improving our country for all working people led to his support of a young Barack Obama for Illinois State Senate and U.S. Senate, a decision that was against the most Labor movement at a time when only a few believed he could win. With Tom's leadership, SEIU was one of a few unions that backed Barack Obama to get elected. Eventually, Tom's confidence was a key factor that guided SEIU during the primary endorsement of Obama for president.
Tom engaged heavily in the fight for $15 movement and organized thousands of airport workers in Chicago.
After 50 years of service in the labor movement, Tom retired as President of SEIU Local 1. To honor his legacy and commitment to working families, the union conferred the honorary title of President Emeritus to Tom. He continues to inspire people across multicultural backgrounds and counts Nelson Mandela as the most influential leader he has ever met.