ULI Spotlight: Andy Cassagnol Executive Vice President SEIU1199
From Union Baby to Union Builder
Executive Vice President of SEIU 1199 in New Jersey, calls himself a “union baby,” and he means it. The union is not simply where he works; it is the force that shaped his family’s trajectory. His mother, a Haitian immigrant and Certified Nursing Assistant at what was then Lutheran Medical Center in Sunset Park, once dreamed of becoming a nurse. Lacking the resources to pursue that path, she built a life in healthcare through 1199. The union provided stability, healthcare, and educational opportunities that transformed her children’s futures. For Andy, the union was never abstract; the union has always been personal.
Raised in Canarsie, a proud Brooklyn native, Andy studied information systems and healthcare administration in college and began working nights at Maimonides Medical Center. After a brief time away from New York, he returned and took a job at Lutheran, the same hospital where his mother had worked. He started as a clerk and later worked in the ICU. At first, he was simply a member and was aware of the union, appreciative of it, but not yet active.
That changed when he began to pay attention.
Once in the ICU, he saw how hospital hierarchies played out in real time. CNAs and dietary workers, many of them immigrants and people of color, were treated as expendable, while doctors were afforded deference and protection. He noticed that when a 1199 organizer walked into the building, management’s demeanor shifted. The power dynamic changed.
Andy began organizing inside his shop with his coworkers, documenting contract violations, challenging abuses of authority, and educating coworkers about their rights. His interest in the union became commitment. The turning point came unexpectedly: he arrived at work one day in his car to pick up his check and encountered a picket line. An organizer invited him to stay. What he thought would be a brief show of support became a defining moment. By the end of the day, he was standing on top of his car, leading chants and urging his coworkers to fight for a fair contract. He had found his calling.
He became a delegate and quickly emerged as a leader. In 2017, the union brought him onto statewide campaigns. He went on to become the first organizer at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, Long Island, helping workers secure their first contract. He later expanded organizing efforts in Suffolk County, building pride and engagement in shops that had once felt disconnected from the union’s core.
When COVID-19 struck New York in 2020, Andy faced personal tragedy and relocated his family to New Jersey. Even then, he continued organizing through the crisis. Today, as Executive Vice President in New Jersey, he represents healthcare workers across the state, including members at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. His focus remains clear: build power, protect workers, and elevate leadership from within the ranks.
As a participant in ULI, Andy embraces the humility of leadership. He speaks openly about still having much to learn and values the management tools and community the program provides. He believes representation matters deeply. As a Black man in leadership, he carries pride in reshaping narratives and modeling possibilities for all children. His vision extends beyond the present workforce: through his fieldwork, he hopes to create an educational pipeline and internship program for youth ages 14–18, introducing them to unions, campaigns, and co
