Meet the New Elections Committee

Thanks to our members’ vision and commitment to build a strong, effective and democratic union together, we’ve reached a key moment in the life of our local:  the new Constitution and Bylaws of SEIU Local 73 are now in effect and it’s time to begin the process of electing officers.

Following the members’ overwhelming vote in favor of the Constitution and Bylaws proposed by the Committee on the Future in June, the SEIU International approved the document in July. An Elections Committee has been appointed to oversee the election of new officers and members of the Executive Board, including determining the nomination process, eligibility of candidates and how elections will be conducted. In accordance with the Constitution, committee members must remain “nonpartisan,” meaning that they may not run for office or publicly support any candidate of slate of candidates.

The Elections Committee members are:

Chairperson: Joe Iosbaker, University of Illinois Chicago
Oscar Guajardo, East Chicago School District
Sherry Nickerson, Chicago Public Schools (retired)
Celestine Strain, Cook County Health and Hospitals System
Tondalya Thomas, Cook County Recorder of Deeds

From left:  Tondalya Thomas, Joe Iosbaker, Oscar Guajardo, Celestine Strain. Not pictured:  Sherry Nickerson.

“These elections will be the most democratic in my 25 years of involvement in SEIU Local 73,” Joe Iosbaker said. “Having been an executive board member and having witnessed firsthand the problems under our old Constitution, I’m confident we can have an honest and fair election.

“We truly need a member-driven union in order to win at the bargaining table and to beat back the attacks coming from the politicians, which affect our members – Black, Latino, and women workers – the most.”

The Elections Committee functions independently from the trustees of the local, marking the first step on the way to becoming a member-led and member-driven organization. Committee members were sworn in on July 31, then voted to approve Joe Iosbaker as the chairperson. The committee immediately started working on the process and rules for the first election of officers and Executive Board members under the new Constitution, which will be held this fall. An election for delegates to the Leadership Assembly will be held in 2019.

If you’re not already a full member, join today and start making history as we elect new leaders and fulfill our vision of a vibrant, member-driven SEIU Local 73. Call (312) 787-5868 or email info@seiu73.org for more information.

To contact the Elections Committee, email officer.elections@seiu73.org.