Keith Kelleher
Keith Kelleher joined ACORN as a volunteer member in 1979, became a staff organizer in 1980 after volunterring to be an organizer with ACORN’s United Labor Union (ULU) in Detroit. Despite his early cynicism about the possibilities of social change, he organized in Detroit from 1980 – 1983, with a big win in March 1980 organizing fast food workers into the union at Greyhound Burger King. In this interview, Kelleher talks about specific labor union organizing campaigns with surprising wins and devastating losses. He specifically cites how race was used against a Detroit fast food workers campaign in an interesting twist. Black leaders and media in Detroit turned against ACORN organizers, lambasting them as outside agitators and carpetbaggers, even though the majority of the organizers and workers involved were African American. Kelleher describes his move from Detroit to Chicago in 1983, first under ULU, transformed into Local 880 in 1985 and campaigns to organize homecare workers, then childcare workers in Chicago. He was Head Organizer until 2008 (including Local 880 merging with SEIU), then president of SEIU Healthcare until 2019. Under his leadership and the historic work of African American and Latina women, Local 880 grew from seven members in 1983 to 35,000 members in 2003 to 175,000 membrs in 2006. Citing Local 880 members Lula Bronson and Helen Miller as examples, he reflects that ACORN was a product of Black resistance and culture. Kelleher concludes his interview stating that the historic work of Black women and the supportive, family centered and collectivist quaities of Black culture don’t receive enough recognition or credit. The interview may be of interest to those who want to learn about the growth of grassroot labor union organizing with people and service industries established unions ignored, the roll of Black women in labor unior organizing, and community organizing strategies.