Mere weeks into the second Trump Administration, we have seen an onslaught of chaotic attacks on working people. This Administration is creating chaos and uncertainty, trying to divide and distract us from their billionaires’ agenda. They attack hardworking people’s unions and livelihoods, making us less secure. They blame all our problems on immigrants, people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community.
We see through this scapegoating, and we are fighting back. Across the country, SEIU members are standing up to save Medicaid and other federal services that we all count on, pushing back on the attacks on immigrants who contribute so much to our economy and communities, and continuing to build worker power through union organizing. We beat back similar attacks 8 years ago—and we’re ready to do it again.
Below is a list of some of the key ways SEIU members are fighting these federal attacks. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Things change literally every hour, and updates from our SEIU headquarters in Washington, D.C. shift according to new information, judicial rulings, and fresh attacks on workers.
We are fighting to protect Medicaid
Cuts to Medicaid would rip healthcare away from seniors, children and veterans. It will hurt SEIU healthcare professionals whose jobs are funded by Medicaid, pose deep cuts to state budgets, and put many other critical public services at risk. SEIU members from across the country mobilized for an emergency visit to Congress in February to protect our communities, and will be doing so again in April to keep up the pressure.
- Call your member of Congress toll-free at 866-426-2631 and tell them to protect Medicaid funding! Then encourage your family, friend, and coworker to do the same.
We are fighting to protect immigrant rights
In 2019, labor unions in Washington State fought hard to pass the Keep Washington Working Act, which protects people’s rights by preventing local law enforcement from unnecessary interacting with immigration officials. Click here for more information on the Keep Washington Working Act: https://waisn.org/keep-washington-working/
We partner with many community organizations that provide trainings to teach community members what our rights are, how to tell what a valid judicial warrant looks like, and much more.
- Check out iAmerica, SEIU’s immigrant justice program for general Know Your Rights information and resources, including your rights in the workplace. There are downloadable cards as well as an app to help workers know their rights if immigration officials come to their workplaces or homes: https://iamerica.org/know-your-rights/
- Our partners and allies at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) have regular Know Your Rights trainings: https://www.nwirp.org/news-events/events/
- Our partners and allies at the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) have trainings as well as a hotline to make sure our communities can be aware of the presence of immigration officials anywhere: https://waisn.org/
You can also follow NWIRP and WAISN on social media to find out the most up-to-date information on events or trainings.
We are fighting to protect our data
SEIU has sued the U.S. Treasury Department, alleging illegal access by “DOGE” to union members’ personal and private data.
We are fighting to protect public education
We are an education union representing child care providers, K12 school support staff, university employees, and other public sector workers. Recent federal directives threaten to defund federal grant programs and dismantle the Department of Education. We will fight these efforts.
We are building a future where every worker, of every race and from every place, can join together in a union to win the wages, healthcare, and security we all deserve.