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Employees at former President Barack Obama’s foundation are moving to unionize, accusing leadership of rolling back benefits, failing to address workplace concerns and driving away experienced staff, according to a letter reviewed by Digital.
The workers are invoking Obama’s own public support for organized labor as they seek to form Obama Workers United, urging foundation leadership to respect their right to organize.
In the letter, signed by dozens of employees, workers said increasing workloads, reduced benefits and a lack of support from leadership have contributed to high staff turnover at the foundation, which operates the recently opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
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An aerial view shows the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side. The center includes a museum tower, public gathering spaces, athletic facilities and offices for the Obama Foundation. ( Flight Team)
“Amidst increasing workloads we have seen our benefits rolled back and support from leadership to be minimal. When we voice concerns we are met with vague responses, leading to uncertainty about our future with the foundation,” the workers wrote.
The employees said departing colleagues have taken valuable institutional knowledge with them, leaving remaining staff struggling to keep up with their responsibilities.
The workers’ complaints come months after Digital reported that Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett, a longtime Obama confidante, earned $740,000 in 2024, while the organization’s total salaries and benefits climbed from $18.5 million in 2018 to $43.7 million in 2024.
The foundation defended its executive compensation at the time, saying salaries reflected competitive market rates for comparable nonprofit organizations.
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The exterior of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois. ( Digital/Peter D’Abrosca)
The organizing committee, working with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, also urged foundation leadership not to interfere with the unionization effort.
“We urge senior leadership to honor our legal right to form a union and not waste resources on anti-union messaging, anti-union lawyers, or anti-union meetings,” the letter states.
The workers then pointed to Obama’s own words from a 2016 letter encouraging Americans to join unions.
“If I were looking for a good job that lets me build some security for my family, I’d join a union. If I saw a problem in my workplace, I’d organize my coworkers to do something about it,” Obama wrote at the time, according to the employees’ letter.
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The Obama Presidential Center with the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden in the foreground. ( Digital/Peter D’Abrosca)
The proposed union would represent more than 250 employees across the foundation’s Chicago campus, Washington, D.C., offices and remote positions nationwide, according to the Daily Mail.
Digital reached out to the Obama Foundation for comment on the employees’ concerns and whether it plans to voluntarily recognize the union.
The Obama Foundation said it supports employees’ right to organize in a statement previously provided to the Daily Mail.
“We are deeply committed to the fundamental right of workers to organize and make their voices heard,” a foundation spokesperson said.
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“As members of our staff explore union representation, we approach this process with immense gratitude for their contributions, deep respect for unions, and a sincere commitment to working collaboratively with our partners in labor.”
