Who was the first woman elected to lead a major American labor union, heading the Service Employees International Union?

Mary Kay Henry made history in May 2010 when she was elected International President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), becoming the first woman to lead a major American labor union. Her ascension to this prominent role marked a significant milestone, not only for the SEIU, which represents two million members across various sectors, but for the broader labor movement as well.

Henry's career with the SEIU began in 1979, where she started as a research specialist and organizer. Over three decades, she held numerous positions within the union, gaining extensive experience in organizing drives and advocating for workers' rights. She was instrumental in pioneering SEIU's strategies, including card check agreements and system-wide healthcare organizing. Her leadership has been characterized by a deep commitment to social justice, focusing on improving the lives of healthcare, property services, and public sector workers across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

During her tenure, Henry championed groundbreaking initiatives that had a profound impact on working families. Notably, she was a key force behind the "Fight for $15 and a Union" movement, which successfully advocated for significant wage increases for millions of workers and helped shift the national conversation around minimum wage. Beyond economic justice, Henry also advocated for immigrants' rights and LGBT rights, even co-founding SEIU's Lavender Caucus, a group dedicated to improving rights for LGBTQ+ people within unions and the workplace. Her leadership has been recognized with various accolades, including being named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2020.