California’s prominent medical cooperative is moving ahead with a millionaire tax initiative for the upcoming ballot, directly opposing Gov. Gavin Newsom. The aim is to have affluent individuals contribute more to cover federal cuts impacting hospitals and emergency services. Still, investigations reveal that labor groups may not be financially strapped after all.
An analysis of federal financial records indicates that the Service Employees International Union West Health Care Workers Union has spent millions on various out-of-state political efforts, travel, conferences, and even membership fees for beach retreats. Interestingly, they also allocated nearly $235,000 to a “clarity coach” featured in some low-budget mindfulness videos on social media.
SEIU-UHW is spearheading a November initiative proposing a one-time tax on billionaires, aimed at assisting healthcare facilities struggling due to funding cuts associated with President Trump’s changes to Medicaid.
However, their latest financial disclosures to the U.S. Department of Labor reveal a spending pattern that includes conferences and retreats in desirable locations like Puerto Rico, Redondo Beach, and San Diego.
Among the significant expenditures was $234,804 to Dr. Joy K. Madison in 2025, reported through 14 separate transactions. These payments are described simply as compensation for “independent contractors,” without any specific details about the services rendered.
Madison, who holds advanced degrees, has appeared in various short “Mindful Minutes” videos shared on the union’s Instagram account, garnering attention with many of them looking quite similar as if recorded on the same day. In one instance, she encourages healthcare workers to pause, breathe, and connect with their surroundings while offering stress-reduction techniques in other clips.
Critics, such as Charice Bozzello from the Union Fact Center, have commented, expressing skepticism about spending union fees on retreats and mindfulness videos when they advocate taxing the wealthy.
The SEIU-UHW, however, defends its decisions, asserting that Madison was brought on for leadership development and organizational training. Union officials highlight that these gatherings are vital for democratic processes within their large membership base.
Federal documents reveal significant expenditures such as $17,634 for a 20-member delegation to a national conference in Puerto Rico and over $171,000 for an extensive all-staff training organized at Asilomar Conference Grounds, which is surrounded by beautiful coastal landscapes.
Another $80,669 was spent on a hospital department retreat at Sonesta Redondo Beach, with $110,945 used for a three-day board meeting in San Diego. Meetings at other hotels added up to more than $1 million in expenses.
Union representatives assert that the average hotel costs are not exorbitant and emphasized that many attendees shared accommodations to minimize expenses. They also pointed out that costs for organizing meetings fall within the normal operational budget for a large union.
Last year, the union emphasized political spending and lobbying, with more than $12 million invested, while a much larger sum was allocated for representative activities, such as negotiating work conditions.
It’s worth noting that SEIU-UHW donated about $2.75 million to the Fairness Project, an organization focused on voting rights. They also discontinued a signature drive in Arizona after spending over $1.8 million with a political firm.
As the union directs considerable funds toward the California Billionaire Tax Act, they argue that the wealthiest citizens need to chip in to support healthcare infrastructure amid federal cuts. Meanwhile, Gov. Newsom maintains that taxing billionaires would face challenges, as many affluent individuals are likely to relocate to avoid such taxes. Prominent billionaires, who are against the proposed tax, have begun organizing alternative ballot measures.
Newsom claims that a state wealth tax isn’t feasible, stating that it would lead to a detrimental cycle. He advocates for reform at the federal level, suggesting that the current tax code disproportionately benefits the ultra-wealthy, allowing them to avoid taxes more than the average worker.
The rhetoric from both sides is expected to escalate as the November election approaches.
“The true privilege in California is the wealth of billionaires, and no amount of outrage against healthcare workers will change that,” noted Seltzer.
