Daniel Ratner

Daniel J. Ratner (George Washington University, B.A., 1969, New School University, M.A., Economics, 1973, Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1982) is a senior partner at Levy Ratner. He began his career in labor with twelve years as an organizer for 1199SEIU and the UAW. His legal career has spanned over 25 years, during which time he has represented a variety of unions in the profit and not‑for‑profit sectors, including the SEIU, Teamsters and the UAW. He currently serves as General Counsel to 1199SEIU, representing over 300,000 healthcare workers.

Ratner has litigated labor disputes extensively before the NLRB and the federal courts. He was a member of the AFL‑CIO national litigation team that established the health care bargaining unit rules through NLRB rule making and subsequent litigation up to the United States Supreme Court. He has participated in national oral arguments before the NLRB on the issues of RN supervisory status [Providence Alaska Medical Center, 1996 NLRB Lexis 440 (July 10, 1996), 1997 NLRB Lexis 755 (Sept. 15, 1997), 1999 NLRB Lexis 914 (May 5, 1999)], independent contractor status [Dial‑A-Mattress Operating Corp., 326 NLRB 884 (1998)], and joint employee status of agency workers [M.B. Sturgis, Inc., 331 NLRB 1298 (2000)]. He is responsible for the legal victory that initially established the right of graduate teaching assistants to organize under the NLRA in New York University, 332 NLRB 1205 (2000).

Ratner has extensive negotiating experience in the profit and not‑for‑profit sectors. Among the agreements he has bargained is the master contract between 1199SEIU and the League of Voluntary Hospitals, a multi‑billion dollar contract covering approximately 150,000 workers in over 100 hospitals and nursing homes.