SEIU at Churchill Downs

Every first Saturday in May, sports fans take in the historic Kentucky Derby, "the most exciting two minutes in sports." The pinnacle of horse racing, the Derby takes place at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Most spectators focuson the horses and jockeys, but the race would be impossible without the efforts of thousands of racetrack employees who make sure people can place their bets and corral the thoroughbreds. In fact, many of these workers are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the Walter P. Reuther's donor unions. The SEIU Archives contain the story of how these workers formed their union local in 1965, the Pari-mutuel Clerk's Union of Kentucky.

Prior to organizing Churchill Downs, the union then known as the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU) represented thousands of racetrack employees, especially along the east coast and throughout California. No union had successfully organized within the Kentucky racetrack, however, until BSEIU sent in a veteran team of union representatives (pictured right) to work with the Churchill Downs workers. In the archival records of then BSEIU President David Sullivan, correspondence with the reps demonstrates the union's strategy. A pamphlet, distributed to racetrack employees, lists the numerous other tracks that unionized under BSEIU and offers to sign them up for a confidential mailing list for circulating union news. Whether due to years of legwork put in by local staff or because management did not want a protracted labor dispute, the records reflect what seemed to be a relatively cooperative bargaining process. Union staff, including future SEIU President Richard Cordtz, came into Louisville in April to negotiate with Churchill Downs, Inc. In only a month, an interim agreement was created following workers' decision to organize on May 15, 1965. A more formal agreement was later signed by Wathen Knebelkamp, the president of Churchill Downs, and SEIU Local 541 was chartered to represent the pari-mutuel clerks (the employees who take visitor's bets). Initial gains included a $2 a day raise across the board and time-and-a-half pay on derby day.

Soon after, several other Kentucky racetracks recognized Local 541, including Keeneland in Lexington. The Pari-mutuel Clerk's Union of Kentucky adopted a constitution and bylaws in September and William E. Smith became the local's first president. In the following years when many locals have been swallowed up due to consolidation or suffered drops in membership, Local 541 has survived and continues to be a presence at Churchill Downs. In that time, the union has provided workers with grievance services and training. When SEIU first organized Churchill Downs, 5,000 employees were needed to ensure the track ran smoothly. So the next time you are drinking a mint julip while watching the Running of the Roses, remember all the workers in attendance who make the event possible and the efforts of their predecessors to achieve an equitable workplace.

The SEIU archives and our other collections are free and open to the public. If you are interested in researching BSEIU's organizing of Churchill Downs and Local 541, look into the following collections:

The SEIU archives and our other collections are free and open to the public. If you are interested in researching BSEIU’s organizing of Churchill Downs and Local 541, look into the following collections:
SEIU Executive Office: David Sullivan Records
SEIU Secretary-Treasurer's Office: Constitutions and By-Laws Records
August, 1965 issue of Service Employee, in the SEIU Publications

Gavin Strassel is the UAW Archivist at the Walter P. Reuther Library.