Stephen Lerner spent much of the past three decades unionizing hundreds of thousands of farm workers, garment workers, and janitors. His efforts as a labor and community organizer have resulted in wage increases, paid sick days, first-time health benefits, and additional improvements for workers in these and other trades. Lerner was a key leader in the Justice for Janitors campaign and now directs much of his attention to supporting unions and community groups looking for ways to fight Wall Street’s grip on democracy in America.
As director of the SEIU’s private equity project, Lerner launched a campaign before the current economic crisis to expose the impending economic disaster by documenting lax regulations and unsustainable practices of private equity firms. Lerner has published many articles on the future of the labor movement in an effort to confront the complex challenges of a global economy.
