Abstract
Here, Stephen Lerner, the architect of Justice for Janitors (J4J), Service Employees International Union (SEIU)’s most successful organizing campaign of the 1990s and early 2000s, recalls J4J’s evolution and assesses its legacy for SEIU and the larger labor movement. He describes the experiences he gained working with the United Farm Workers and other unions prior to his arrival at SEIU under union president John Sweeney and organizing director Andy Stern, and SEIU’s decision to revamp organizing of the union’s core janitorial workforce. He recalls janitors’ campaigns in Denver, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami; security guard organizing; and efforts to internationalize SEIU’s organizing model. He concludes by reflecting on J4J’s legacy for the larger labor movement and initiatives such as Bargaining for the Common Good.
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