Andy Stern

Andy Stern

Andrew L. Stern (born November 22, 1950) is the former president of the Service Employees International Union, and now serves as its President Emeritus. Stern has been a senior fellow at Georgetown University, Columbia University, and is now a Senior Fellow at the Economic Security Project. Under his leadership SEIU became both the fastest growing union in the world, growing 1,200,000 members, and the largest political action committee (PAC) in the United States. As SEIU President, Stern was a constant figure in the news. He was on the covers of The New York Times Magazine , Fortune, and Business Week, featured on CBS 60 Minutes, on Fox as the Power Player of the Week, CNN, and the Washington Post. He talks about his career and philosophy on the podcast The Great Battlefield He is the author of two books, A Country That Works (2006), and Raising the Floor: How a Universal Basic Income Can Renew Our Economy and Rebuild the American Dream (2016).Stern was a key organizer and leader in two of the most significant changes in social policy in the 21st century, healthcare reform and a guaranteed income. According to Modern Healthcare magazine Stern was one of "the chief architects of healthcare reform". SEIU participated in over 12 coalitions with business leaders, labor and advocates, hosted the first Presidential primary in 2008 on healthcare, and after President Obama's election created a war room with over 100 staff in the states advocating until the successful completion of the legislative process.Stern’s book, Raising the Floor, discussed his exploration into the future of work and jobs leading to his leadership on providing cash, and a guaranteed income for all American. Stern's book and conversations helped spark Andrew Yang’s candidacy for President promoting his platform of creating a universal basic income. With other organizers Stern assisted in the founding of the Economic Security Project, and serves on the Board of the Income Movement. Stern was an early organizer for cash benefits and a guaranteed income which led to the passage of the Child Tax Credit as well as setting the stage for an increasing number of local experiments, as well as the American Recovery Act’s cash stimulus payments.

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