The 1199 Union traces its origins to women of color employed at drug stores and volunteer hospitals in New York City, who worked for relatively low wages.[3]
In 2016, 1199SEIU's president George Gresham was credited by New York GovernorAndrew Cuomo for helping secure the passage of the $15 minimum wage in New York State.[6]
^Botein, Hilary (2009). "Visions of community: post‐war housing projects of Local 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Local 1199, Hospital Workers Union". Planning Perspectives. 24 (2): 187. doi:10.1080/02665430902734293. ISSN0266-5433.