George Gresham, the longtime head of 1199SEIU who helped turn a health-care workers union into one of New York’s most formidable political forces, has died at 71 after a long illness, the union announced. Gresham rose from a hospital housekeeping job to lead hundreds of thousands of caregivers and became a fixture in Albany and at City Hall over several decades.
In a May 8 statement, 1199SEIU confirmed his death, saying he “served our union proudly for many years” and honoring his decades of leadership. The union cast his tenure as a long-running fight for dignity, better pay and safer staffing for frontline health-care workers.
From Housekeeper To Union President
Gresham’s climb through 1199SEIU stretched across decades. He joined the union in 1975 while working as a housekeeper at Presbyterian Hospital and was first elected president in 2007, according to City & State. Over time he became a steady organizer and negotiator, helping steer the union through high-profile contract battles and bare-knuckle political campaigns.
What He Won For Caregivers
As described by 1199SEIU, the union represents more than 450,000 health-care workers across several states and has pushed for higher wages, stronger retirement and education benefits, and tougher staffing standards. Gresham put those goals at the center of his presidency, arguing that protecting caregivers was inseparable from protecting patients.
City Leaders And Allies Respond
Tributes came quickly from city and state leaders. New York City ordered flags lowered to half-mast at municipal buildings, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani called Gresham “a giant of New York’s labor movement,” while Gov. Kathy Hochul praised his part in strengthening rights for health-care workers, according to the New York Daily News. Elected officials, allied unions and rank-and-file members offered condolences across social media and in statements to local outlets.
Succession And The Union's Next Chapter
Gresham stepped away from the top job after an internal election in May 2025 that elevated Yvonne Armstrong to the presidency, a shakeup City & State described as one of the biggest upsets in recent union politics. Armstrong took full control when his term ended in June 2025 and has since focused on contract settlements and rebuilding trust among members.
Details on memorial services have not yet been released. For now, members, allies and city leaders are looking back on the decades Gresham spent building power for health-care workers. His death closes a major chapter for one of the region’s most influential labor organizations and is likely to reshape how health-care organizing is discussed in the months ahead.
