[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING KEITH KELLEHER

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 5, 2018

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Keith Kelleher, one of 
the greatest organizers I have ever seen, for his hard work and 
dedication as he retires on September 14, 2018. Keith's lifelong 
commitment to organizing for social and economic justice has improved 
thousands of lives and created fair work environments and policies that 
will continue to give workers good wages, health care, and safe work 
environments.
  Keith Kelleher was the President of the Service Employees 
International Union Healthcare Illinois/Indiana/Missouri/Kansas since 
its creation in April 2008 until April 2017. He was a field organizer, 
Lead Organizer, and Head Organizer of Legacy Local 880 in Chicago, and 
Head Organizer of United Labor Unions Local 222 in Detroit prior to 
that.
  In his 39 years of work as a labor and community organizer, Keith 
pioneered the organization of fast food, home care, child care and 
other low-wage workers--growing Legacy Local 880 from just seven 
members in 1983 to more than 70,000 members by 2008, and growing SEIU 
HCIIMK from 83,000 members in 2008 to more than 92,000 members by 2014; 
and winning living wages and first-ever healthcare for tens of 
thousands of Illinois workers.
  Keith was the Field Director of the national SEIU's ``Homecare Task 
Force'' from 1996-1998. He traveled, researched, and visited the homes 
of home care workers in more than ten states, beginning the work which 
led to the organizing of hundreds of thousands of home care workers 
across the country.
  Today, more than 600,000 home care and child care workers in more 
than fifteen states across the country are united in SEIU, fighting for 
a better standard of living for themselves and their families, and 
joining with nursing home and hospital workers to become a national 
movement for quality care and quality jobs.
  Keith Kelleher was a founder and leader in the national SEIU Homecare 
Council, which was composed of leaders of over 15 local unions. He was 
a board member and then Vice-President of the SEIU Illinois State 
Council, which grew from 70,000 to over 120,000 members during his 
years of service.
  As an organizer, Keith Kelleher trained hundreds of rank and file 
leaders and organizers over his career. He helped found the Helen 
Miller Member Education and Training Center (METC) which has trained 
thousands of Homecare and Child Care workers, as well as helping to 
found the SEIU HCIIMK Homecare and Child Care Health Trust, which 
brought first-time health care to more than 15,000 home and child care 
workers.
  His conviction, integrity and foresight helped initiate several 
grassroots organizing initiatives, like the Grassroots Collaborative 
``Fight for $15'' and ``United Working Families.''
  He was a founder and leader of the ``Chicago Jobs and Living Wage 
Campaign'' and the ``Big Box Living Wage Campaign'' from the 1990's to 
the 2000's, which led to increases in the Chicago and Illinois minimum 
wage and benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Chicago 
and Illinois workers.
  In the 1990's, as a State Representative in Springfield, I was 
honored to work with Keith on legislation to raise the wage of state-
employed home care workers in a campaign dubbed ``Give Me Five,'' a $5 
an hour minimum wage. I was indelibly inspired by the heroic women of 
Local 880 who, along with Keith, taught me to never give up!
  Rising to the top of his union, Keith was elected as an SEIU 
International Executive Board Vice-President in June 2008, a position 
he held until 2017.
  In recognition of his historic accomplishments as a visionary, 
organizer and labor movement leader, I rise today to offer my heartfelt 
gratitude and congratulations to Keith Kelleher for all he has done to 
improve the jobs and living conditions of thousands and thousands of 
people and to provide hope to millions more.
  I thank Keith, and best of luck to him in his retirement from SEIU. 
My hope is that I will continue to see him leading in the ongoing 
struggle.

                          ____________________