California Labor Leader Dave Regan Accused of Harassing and Intimidating Female Union Officials

Dave Regan, the high-profile leader of a major California healthcare workers union and the principal champion of a contentious statewide ballot proposal to tax the state's billionaires, is facing serious allegations of workplace harassment, intimidation, and threatening behavior directed against multiple female colleagues within an affiliated labor organization.

The detailed accusations against Regan, who serves as the longtime president of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), are documented in an extensive investigative report commissioned by SEIU California. The findings, which were first broken by the Los Angeles Times and subsequently obtained by The Associated Press, include comprehensive interviews with current and former union personnel who describe aggressive efforts by Regan to pressure union leadership into supporting his policy priorities.

The escalating controversy comes just months before voters head to the polls to decide on Proposition 40, a high-stakes ballot initiative spearheaded by Regan that seeks to levy a one-time 5% tax on the personal fortunes of billionaires residing in California. Under the provisions of the initiative, revenues raised through the one-time levy would be directed to backfill critical healthcare funding for low-income Californians following reductions in federal support.

The tax proposal has sparked significant political fallout across the state, creating visible friction among typically unified Democratic factions and deepening a notable divide within California's organized labor coalition. While Regan's local union has passionately mobilized behind the measure, the overarching statewide federation, SEIU California, has noticeably declined to issue an official endorsement or take a public stance on the ballot proposal.

According to the investigative findings, Regan engaged in hostile and intimidating behavior toward leadership colleagues in an effort to force their alignment with the tax campaign. SEIU California Executive Director Tia Orr informed investigators that Regan issued a direct ultimatum during an encounter in December, demanding that the statewide union formally endorse the billionaires' tax proposal before January 1 or else face consequences, warning her explicitly, "I'm coming for you."

Orr subsequently reported the confrontation to union members, explaining that the encounter had left her feeling genuinely unsafe in her role. In the aftermath of the interaction, Orr also learned that other female union officials and staff members had reported being subjected to similar patterns of berating, aggressive language, and intimidation by Regan during internal policy disputes.

Prompted by the findings of the internal inquiry, SEIU California moved forward with formal institutional action, filing misconduct charges against Regan directly with the SEIU International Union. The formal filing alleges a systemic pattern of bullying, extortionate tactics, and intimidation carried out against colleagues across the organization.

The investigative report also detailed earlier allegations of severe workplace misconduct, including an incident of physical aggression spanning more than 15 years in the past. Courtni Pugh, the former executive director of the union who stepped down from her role in 2009, detailed a confrontation with Regan that took place prior to her departure during a tense internal political disagreement.

According to Pugh's testimony to investigators, Regan unleashed a barrage of expletives, violently kicked open her office door, aggressively asserted that she was not tough enough to perform her leadership duties, and physically forced her backward against a bookcase.

Regan strongly disputed the characterization of past physical violence, while conceding that his language had crossed professional lines. Addressing the allegations during a formal news conference, Regan acknowledged that he had used curse words with union leaders in the past, but he maintained an absolute denial regarding the claims of physical assault.

"I will own up to and take responsibility for anything that I've said and anything that I've done," Regan stated publicly in his defense. However, he emphasized that he would not stand idly by while facing allegations he characterized as flat-out lies regarding his conduct.

SEIU-UHW launched a forceful defense of its president, arguing that the timing and publication of the investigative report—which had been finalized in June—amounted to a politically motivated effort by wealthy opponents to undermine the passage of Proposition 40. The local union maintained that wealthy interests were attempting to manipulate the public narrative, declaring that voters want their healthcare funding restored and reiterating their core demand to tax the billionaires.

The local healthcare union also argued that investigators had stitched together unrelated verbal disputes spanning nearly two decades while stripping them of their original context to craft a false narrative regarding union leadership. Furthermore, SEIU-UHW dismissed Pugh's account as a trumped-up claim from 17 years ago, pointing out that the political consulting firm where she currently works has represented organizations opposing Proposition 40.

In a public statement addressing the matter, Pugh rejected Regan's defense, calling his response offensive to women and colleagues who have endured his aggressive behavior over the years. She noted that she had reported the door-kicking incident to fellow union colleagues at the time it occurred, making the encounter widely known throughout SEIU, and stated that her participation in the investigation was motivated by a desire to ensure no other women would face similar mistreatment.

For its part, SEIU California emphasized that taking action against workplace misconduct is an indispensable responsibility that directly aligns with the labor movement's broader principles. Group leaders affirmed that just as union members are urged every day to challenge authority and confront abusive workplace dynamics, the organization's leadership must also take a firm stand and uphold standards of respect, fairness, and workplace equity.