Employees at the Obama Foundation have launched an effort to form a union, citing increased workloads, reduced benefits, and high staff turnover at the organization that operates the recently opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The workers, who are organizing under the name Obama Workers United, have sent a letter to foundation leadership invoking former President Barack Obama’s public support for organized labor as they seek to form a bargaining unit.
The organizing effort comes months after the center’s opening and follows previous reporting on executive compensation at the foundation. The letter, signed by dozens of employees, argues that the foundation has failed to address workplace concerns and that leadership’s response to staff issues has been minimal. The workers are working with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 to pursue unionization.
What the Left Is Saying
Labor organizers and the workers themselves frame the unionization effort as a continuation of the former president’s own advocacy for worker rights. In their letter, employees quoted a 2016 statement by Obama in which he said, "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." The workers argued that this history of support obligates the foundation to respect their right to organize without interference.
The employees stated that departing colleagues have taken valuable institutional knowledge with them, leaving remaining staff struggling to keep up with their responsibilities. "Amidst increasing workloads we have seen our benefits rolled back and support from leadership to be minimal," the workers wrote in the letter. "When we voice concerns we are met with vague responses, leading to uncertainty about our future with the foundation." The organizing committee urged 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."
What the Right Is Saying
Critics and conservative commentators have previously highlighted the disparity between employee complaints and executive compensation at the foundation. Fox News Digital reported earlier that Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett earned $740,000 in 2024. At the time, the foundation defended its executive compensation, stating that salaries reflected competitive market rates for comparable nonprofit organizations. The right’s perspective often focuses on the financial growth of the organization’s payroll compared to the grievances raised by rank-and-file workers.
The foundation’s official response, provided to the Daily Mail, emphasized support for the right to organize. "We are deeply committed to the fundamental right of workers to organize and make their voices heard," a foundation spokesperson said. The statement added, "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." The foundation has not indicated whether it will voluntarily recognize the union.
What the Numbers Show
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 prior financial disclosures reviewed by Fox News Digital, the organization's total salaries and benefits climbed from $18.5 million in 2018 to $43.7 million in 2024. This represents a more than doubling of compensation costs over a six-year period. The letter from workers highlights that experienced staff are leaving, though specific turnover rates were not provided in the initial reporting.
The Obama Presidential Center, which opened recently, has been the subject of scrutiny regarding its cost and impact on local communities. The center is described by some critics as an activism center rather than a traditional presidential library. The financial data indicates a significant increase in operational costs related to staffing, coinciding with the period when the center was under construction and subsequently opened.
The Bottom Line
The unionization effort tests the Obama Foundation's stated commitment to labor values against its operational decisions and compensation structures. If the union is formed, it will represent the first major labor bargaining unit at the foundation since the opening of the Chicago center. Key issues to watch include whether the foundation voluntarily recognizes the union or proceeds to a formal election process, and how leadership addresses the specific grievances regarding benefit rollbacks and workload management. The outcome may influence labor relations at other high-profile nonprofit organizations associated with political figures.