April Verrett

She’s Building the ‘Biggest, Baddest Labor Movement This Country Has Ever Seen’

For April Verrett, fighting for workers is a family tradition. She was raised by her grandmother, a Union Steward for SEIU Local 46. Now, Verrett is the President of the SEIU, one of the largest unions in America, with roughly two million members working in healthcare, public services, janitorial services, food services, and more. She was tapped to lead the union in 2024, becoming the first Black woman to hold the post in its 103-year history. Under her leadership, the organization quickly made moves to strengthen its position, a crucial effort in an era where workers’ rights are increasingly under attack. The SEIU announced that it is committing at least $50 million to building worker power across the South by 2030 — part of its efforts to add one million members over the next 10 years. And, at the beginning of this year, the SEIU announced that it was joining the A.F.L.-C.I.O., an umbrella group of more than 50 unions that represent more than 12.5 million workers, “to help build the biggest, baddest labor movement this country has ever seen.”

By Audrey Goodson Kingo