Poor Leadership

Accusations of sexual harassment have plagued the SEIU for years and the union has taken little action to quell concerns over the issue. Recent legal cases and reporting indicates the SEIU has used union dues to defend against sexual harassment lawsuits and retaliate against accusers.

Rampant Sexual Harassment And Misconduct

Under the leadership of Mary Kay Henry, the SEIU has fostered a toxic environment where leadership accused of sexual harassment has mostly gone unpunished and in some cases has even been promoted.

• SEIU 721 Organizing Director Marin Manteca kept his position after sixteen women testified that he was guilty of sexual harassment and would also become physically confrontational with them.
• Two of SEIU-UHW’s top officials are still with the SEIU after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
• After being fired from the SEIU 32BJ for sexual misconduct, Pedro Malave, was hired by an SEIU affiliate in California.
• A Massachusetts union official named Tyrek Lee was fired after being accused of sexual misconduct, a short time later he was hired to be the vice president of SEIU 1199.

Retaliating Against Sexual Harassment Victims

Several alleged victims of sexual harassment at the SEIU have accused the union of retaliating against them.

• A Payday Report revealed that the SEIU not only failed to take action against employees accused of sexual harassment, but also retaliated against whistleblowers. One employee was sued for defamation after making negative allegations against SEIU-UHW President Dave Regan.
• In 2017, an employee filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against SEIU-UHW President Dave Regan. The accuser alleged that threatening phone calls and text messages followed after filing the lawsuit.

Funding Defense Of Sexual Harassment Claims

In 2019, the SEIU used union dues to fund a campaign defending sexual harassment and retaliation claims against Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political campaign. The SEIU also funded the legal team to defend SEIU official Dave Regan from a sexual harassment lawsuit.

• The accusation claimed Michael Madigan’s political campaign arranged secret payments totaling more than $30,000 to a campaign staffer who was fired after a sexual harassment complaint.
• The SEIU allegedly funneled more than $400,000 in union dues to Madigan’s campaign and committees.
• According to a Payday Report, the SEIU allowed Dave Regan to use union funds to defend himself from a sexual harassment lawsuit.

The SEIU has a long history of employee/officer arrests that date back decades. In the last few years alone, three high ranking SEIU officials have been charged/pleaded guilty to crimes including grand theft, perjury, bribery, and wire fraud.

• Former SEIU California Executive Director Alma Hernandez resigned from her position after being charged with tax fraud, grand theft, and perjury.
• SEIU official Attia Little pled guilty to conspiring to steal more than $500,000 from the SEIU in 2023.
• In 2020, Robert Kurtycz, former SEIU Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board comptroller was sentenced for committing bribery and wire fraud.