Decades ago a small group of support service employees in the Montgomery County Public Schools had a vision of uniting all support staff to empower a workforce to believe there were entitled to decent wages, benefits, and rights.
Along with this vision, support staff professionals had big dreams: job security, career opportunity, and respect and hope for a better future for their families. The visionary leaders of our local union’s past give us hope and a model of strength as we face future challenges. This is their legacy to you.
Local 500 has negotiated ground breaking labor agreements that provide economic gains and new protections for the workers we represent. We began as one bargaining unit and remained so until 2003.
Since 2003 to the present time, we represented thirteen bargaining unit from early childhood, which includes Maryland child care providers, Headstart, K-12 MCPS, higher education part time professors at Montgomery College and George Washington University, developmental disabilities units who care for children and adults with autism and mental disabilities, and we also represent employees in the non-profit world who advocate for the consumer and inform on policy and world hunger.
SEIU Local 500 has grown to be the most active education and public service union in the Mid-Atlantic. Our members are also connected to 2.1 million members across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
We will continue to educate, mobilize, and empower SEIU members to stand up for good jobs and for an economy, society, and political systems that serves workers and communities.
