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Dream Big

✨ Dream Big: Building a Stronger Union

We are SEIU Virginia 512: essential public service and home care workers uniting as One Union, One Voice.

We've already shown our power. Together, we overturned the decades-long ban on collective bargaining and have now ratified strong, first-ever contracts in places like Richmond, Loudoun, and Fairfax. (Read about what we accomplished this year in our 2026 Quarter 1 Newsletter.)

Then on December 13, 2025, we voted to pass our new Dream Big bylaws, which will help make our union more democratic, responsive, and powerful, and put us on the path to fiscal sustainability.

Watch a video from your fellow members on why they voted YES to pass these bylaws.

Building on Our Momentum

Since announcing our Bylaws Committee in July 2024, we worked steadily to build our "Dream Big" plan. The committee began exploring amendments in September 2024, spending the rest of the year focused on updating our membership structure and dues models.

The work continued through 2025 as we refined officer duties and election protocols, presenting updates to the membership at our Winter Meeting and again at our May 31st Statewide meeting. In the fall, the committee completed a full legal review to align our bylaws with our collective bargaining goals.

Finally, members overwhelming voted yes to pass the bylaws at our annual winter meeting on December 13, 2025.

Read our updated bylaws

🤝 Who Is SEIU Virginia 512?

We are essential public service and home care workers in Virginia uniting in one local under the Service Employees International Union to have a real voice in providing quality services to all Virginians

Our Chapters & Structure

We are one Local union comprised of five chapters across Virginia. Each Chapter Chair or President serves on the statewide Executive Board, ensuring every region and job type has a voice in our governance

📈 Our Organizing History: A Legacy of Winning

Our "Dream Big" plan is built on a foundation of growth and historic victories won by members like you.

2006: SEIU begins organizing home care providers in Virginia.

2009: Fairfax County General Employees Union votes to affiliate with SEIU.

2010: Loudoun County employees begin organizing.

2012: SEIU Virginia 512 is officially chartered.

2013: Fairfax Deputy Sheriffs vote to affiliate with SEIU.

2020: We win big! Members overturn the decades-long ban on collective bargaining.

2023: Richmond City Employees vote to join SEIU, and Prince William County employees begin organizing.

2024-25: We ratify strong, first-ever contracts in Richmond, Loudoun, and Fairfax.

Now that we've won strong contracts, we need to reach sustainability.

📜 Our New Ratified Bylaws

To build this future, we needed to update our union's operating rules. These changes are focused on making our union more democratic, responsive, and powerful. Key updates include:

Expanding Leadership: Growing the Virginia 512 Executive Board to include an Executive Vice President and 2 elected members from each chapter instead of only one.

Aligning Elections: Moving all local elections to the same 3-year cycle, with a clear timeline and election committee guidelines.

Fair Dues Structure: Officially restructuring dues to 1.75% for all chapters that have won a collective bargaining agreement.

Defining Representation: Clarifying grievance procedures that lead to arbitration, ensuring a strong process for defending our contracts.

💰 Our Dues Restructure: Funding Our Future

This is the core of the "Dream Big" plan: creating a fair, sustainable, and powerful funding model.

Why We Need This Change

For years, our flat-rate dues (just $10 per pay period in some chapters since 2006) have not been enough to cover the costs of running our union. We have depended on large subsidies from member dues from across the country to ensure workers in Virginia have a seat at the table.

Let's look at our 2025 budget to see why this change is so important:

As you can see, our union brother and sisters from outside Virginia are subsidizing more than half of our budget. To be a truly independent and powerful local union that can fund the "4 Pillars," we must be able to fund our own fights.

The Plan: A Self-Sufficient Union

The new bylaws move all chapters with a collective bargaining agreement to a 1.75% dues rate.

It's an equitable model where members contribute a small percentage relative to their income. It is also a proven standard, already used by our members in Richmond and by other strong unions like the Fairfax Firefighters (1.40% dues rate), IBEW (2% dues rate), and Richmond Teamsters (2.75% dues rate).

The updated dues do not go into effect after July 1, 2026.

How to Calculate Your Dues

It's a simple, two-step formula:

  1. Yearly Salary ÷ Paychecks Per Year = Pay Per Check
  2. Pay Per Check × .0175 = Dues Per Check

🏛️ What Our "Dream Big" Bylaws Will Fund

These new bylaws are an investment in our power. By reaching sustainability through member dues, we will be able to fund:

  1. More Union Support

    To win, we need strong support on the ground. This plan invests directly in you by building a more robust team of staff and organizers to work alongside members in every chapter. This means:

  1. A Contract and Action Fund

    This fund gives us real power in our workplaces and in bargaining. Whether we are negotiating a contract or fighting for rights on the job, a strong, member-funded action fund shows management we are serious. It gives us the resources to:

  1. More Trainings & Member Development

    A member-led union is a trained union. This plan invests in developing your skills to take on management at work and win. We will offer more trainings for all members, including:

  1. Exclusive Member-Only Benefits

    Being a member of SEIU Virginia 512 means you are part of a family. This plan ensures we can provide exclusive, members-only benefits through our new member portal. These include:

Read the Ratified Bylaws