SEIU's strategic move to rejoin the AFL-CIO represents a pivotal step towards unifying the U.S. labor movement, enhancing collective strength for political advocacy and worker rights amidst anti-union challenges.

SEIU announced its decision to rejoin the AFL-CIO, expanding the federation to 15 million members as the union prepares for potential challenges under a second Trump administration. Union leaders emphasized the move as a strategic, non-partisan step to strengthen worker rights and mobilize resistance against anticipated anti-worker policies.

On January 9, 2025, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rejoined the AFL-CIO after a 20-year separation, aiming to strengthen the collective political power of organized labor and enhance efforts to improve worker rights amidst a politically charged environment.

SEIU’s decision to join the AFL-CIO marks a historic and politically significant move that unites and strengthens the labor movement against divisive tactics from the Trump administration, enhancing the collective power of workers.

SEIU COPE, the political arm of the SEIU, raised over $56 million and spent $35.4 million during the 2024 election cycle. The campaign focused on opposing former President Donald Trump and supporting progressive candidates like Vice President Kamala Harris, demonstrating a clear anti‐fascist stance and active mobilization of union resources for democratic causes.

The SEIU Political Education & Action Fund released its 2023 end-of-year report detailing contributions and expenditures for the period of July 1 to December 31, 2023, emphasizing transparency in political spending that supports progressive labor rights and democratic engagement.

The article discusses how unions are embracing technology, such as AI and automation, to mobilize their membership and press for improved working conditions. As a representative healthcare and service workers union, SEIU stands to benefit from these developments, which empower workers to safeguard job security and demand fair treatment, reinforcing anti-authoritarian and worker-rights causes.

The Forbes article discusses how labor unions are gaining influence in the United States as emerging technologies such as AI and green technology reshape the job market. The report underscores the unions’ efforts in ensuring that workers have a voice in negotiating workplace transitions and in securing protections that may counter exploitative practices during periods of rapid technological change. This marks a positive progressive response to emerging authoritarian economic forces.

During the 2021-2022 election cycle, SEIU, one of the largest public-sector unions, directed significant funds through its political action committee to support Democratic and progressive candidates. The overwhelming allocation of PAC dollars to progressive causes—96% going to Democrats—signals a strong commitment to mobilizing labor forces against authoritarian and right-wing policies.

On July 20, 2020, SEIU joined the nationwide 'Strike for Black Lives' protest, demonstrating its commitment to progressive causes, worker rights, and social justice. The union’s engagement in the strike underscores its long-standing activism in supporting democratic and anti-authoritarian initiatives, while also reflecting its broader efforts in campaigns such as the Fight for $15 to secure better labor conditions.

SEIU staff at the Washington headquarters voted on a strike authorization amid negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement. The management’s proposed contract changes—such as eliminating layoff protection for new hires and misclassifying some workers as supervisors—have been widely criticized by the staff union as tactics that undermine internal solidarity and weaken labor rights.