Daniel J. Ratner holds a B.A. from George Washington University (1969), an M.A. in Economics from New School University (1973), and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School (1982). He is a senior partner at Levy Ratner and began his career in labor as an organizer for 1199SEIU and the UAW, serving in that role for twelve years. With over 35 years of legal experience, he has represented various unions in both the profit and nonprofit sectors, including the SEIU, Teamsters, and UAW. Notably, he served as General Counsel to 1199SEIU for more than 20 years, advocating for over 400,000 healthcare workers.
Ratner has a wealth of experience litigating labor disputes before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and federal courts. He was part of the AFL-CIO national litigation team that successfully established health care bargaining unit rules through NLRB rule-making and subsequent litigation that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Ratner has participated in national oral arguments before the NLRB on significant issues, including RN supervisory status, independent contractor status, and joint employee status of agency workers. He played a key role in the landmark legal case that affirmed the right of graduate teaching assistants to organize under the NLRA at New York University.
In addition to his litigation work, Ratner has extensive negotiation experience in both the profit and nonprofit sectors. He has negotiated significant agreements, including the master contract between 1199SEIU and the League of Voluntary Hospitals, a multi-billion dollar contract that impacts approximately 150,000 workers across more than 100 hospitals and nursing homes.
