HÉCTOR FIGUEROA
SECRETARY-TREASURER

Héctor J. Figueroa is Secretary-Treasurer of 32BJ Service Employees International Union, the largest property services union in the country.  32BJ represents more than 120,000 property service workers – window cleaners, superintendents, doormen, maintenance workers, cleaners, porters and security officers – in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.  Héctor was re-elected to a third, three-year term in September 2006.

As a Director of the New York Metro District, Héctor directs operations for the union’s commercial building members in the metropolitan New York area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx as well as Long Island.  In January 2005, Héctor successfully concluded commercial contract negotiations for more than 15,000 32BJ members in New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester and Long Island, securing employer-paid family health care coverage and higher wages, as well as increased job security for immigrant workers. In 2007 under the direction of 32BJ President and Lead Negotiator Mike Fishman, Héctor successfully conducted the union’s contract campaign that secured a four-year agreement for 22,000 commercial office workers in New York City.

Under Héctor’s leadership, the union has raised its political profile by fighting for immigrant and worker rights in the tri-state area and establishing the American Dream Fund, the union’s voluntary political action fund.  32BJ succeeded in passing several pieces of legislation, including the “NJ Prevailing Wage Act,” which doubled the wages for state-contracted workers in New Jersey and the “Displaced Building Service Workers Act,” which protects New York City building service workers from arbitrary dismissal.  32BJ also helped pass the Language Access Bill, which requires translation for vital city services for non-English speakers.

Héctor has been active in the labor movement for over twenty years.  He served as Assistant Research Director coordinating strategic research for the successful SEIU “Justice for Janitors” national campaign, as well as Organizing Director during SEIU’s campaign to win collective bargaining rights for 100,000 public sector workers in Puerto Rico. 

Héctor serves on the SEIU Political Strength Committee.  He is President of the Board of La Fuente, a Tri-State Worker & Community Fund, Inc. and serves on the boards of several organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition, El Diario-La Prensa, the Brecht Forum, the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy, Good Jobs First and New Labor Forum’s editorial board.  Hector is the recipient of many awards, including the Somos El Futuro Labor Award, the Outreach Project Annual Service Award, the New York City Central Labor Council Distinguished Service Award, the Working Theater Outstanding Labor Leadership Award and the Citizen Action of NY Progressive Leadership Award.

Héctor, whose parents were teachers, grew up in Puerto Rico in a pro-union, working class family.  He lives in Queens, New York.

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