SEIU Annual Report

SEIU Initiative
on Ethics and
Standards
Building a
Progressive
Majority
After recommendations from SEIU’s Commission on Ethics and
Standards and a comment period for all local unions, the SEIU
International Executive Board approved a new set of policies on
ethics and standards in June.
The policies aim for increased financial accountability and
transparency; mandatory ethics training; and integration of
ethics into every aspect of the life of the union. The provisions
of the ethics code address, among other things, conflicts of
interest concerning gifts, payments, benefit plans and related
organizations.
The code applies to the International union, local unions and
affiliates. Since the adoption of the policies, SEIU has taken
steps to bolster financial accountability and provide ethics
training and ensure compliance with the code. SEIU also
has begun informal initiatives to strengthen ethical culture
throughout the union.
In 14 states with elected officials who are major policymakers,
SEIU’s national Change That Works scored victories early
in the year with passage of the Economic Recovery Act and
expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
During the congressional recess in August, the campaign
turned out more than 21,000 pro-healthcare reform activists to
major town hall rallies and events.
In September, Change That Works became an independent,
nonprofit organization active in 12 states—Arkansas,
Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Montana,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee and
Virginia.
2009 electoral successes included:
• Congressional victories by John Garamendi and Judy Chu
of California and Bill Owens of New York;
• Mayoral victories that included those of Annise Parker in
Houston, R.T. Rybak in Minneapolis, Chris Coleman in
St. Paul, Tom Menino in Boston, Dana Redd in Camden,
N.J., Anthony Foxx in Charlotte, N.C., Stephanie Miner in
Syracuse, N.Y., and Andre Quintero in El Monte, Calif.;
• Election of pro-worker city council candidates in Seattle,
Houston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Boston, and the Bronx and
Manhattan, N.Y.;
• In Maine and Washington, SEIU public services members
helped lead successful campaigns to defeat “TABOR”
ballot initiatives. The so-called “taxpayer bill of rights”
proposals would have crippled funding levels for public
services. The margin of defeat in both states showed
that voters clearly understood the need for critical public
services.
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