The union is much more than me, and when you think the union is

“The union is much more than me, and when you think the union is you and it's not about who you represent, I think you've sort of lost your morals and focus and the purpose of your leadership.” Thus spoke Andy Stern, a leader who rose from the ranks of labor to guide one of America’s most powerful unions — the Service Employees International Union. His words are not merely about the governance of workers, but about the eternal struggle between ego and duty, between power and purpose. In these words, there burns a timeless warning: that leadership divorced from service becomes tyranny, and that the moment one confuses the self with the cause, corruption begins to whisper in the heart.

The union, in Stern’s vision, is not an institution of stone or slogan, but a living spirit — the combined breath of all who labor, dream, and endure. It is the embodiment of collective strength, the sacred covenant that binds many into one. To think the union is “me,” as Stern cautions, is to mistake the river for the drop. It is to forget that leadership exists not to rule, but to represent, not to bask in power, but to serve the powerless. True leadership is an act of humility — to stand not above the people, but among them; not to take the light, but to reflect it toward the many.

In the days of ancient Rome, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius warned himself each morning that he ruled not for glory, but for the good of his citizens. “You are a part of the whole,” he wrote, “not the master of it.” Yet history is filled with those who forgot this sacred truth. When a leader begins to believe that the cause belongs to him, that his word is the movement and his will the law, the light begins to dim. Empires have fallen for this very reason — when the servant of the people becomes their master. Stern’s words echo through time as a call to all who lead: remember that you are a steward, not an owner, a guardian of purpose, not its creator.

There is a tale told of César Chávez, the humble leader of the farmworkers’ movement. He refused the riches and comfort that could have come with power. When others wanted to raise his salary, he declined, saying, “The union must live as the people live.” He marched beside those he represented, not ahead of them. His strength was not born of arrogance, but of solidarity, his leadership not of command, but of example. In him, we see the living truth of Stern’s words — that a leader who forgets the faces of those he serves has already betrayed his calling.

Morals, focus, and purpose — these three, Stern reminds us, are the pillars upon which all true leadership rests. When a leader loses sight of the people, he loses his morality; when he becomes consumed with himself, he loses focus; and when he forgets the vision that gave him power, he loses purpose. What remains then is not leadership, but vanity — a hollow shell of influence without honor. The union, the nation, the family, the team — all these crumble when the one who guides them mistakes the mirror for the sun.

But take heart, for Stern’s warning is also a path to redemption. To find your morals, look again to the people you serve. To find your focus, remember why you began the journey. To find your purpose, listen to the voices around you, not the applause that flatters you. Leadership is not a crown to be worn but a burden to be carried, a sacred trust that demands both humility and courage. The greatest leaders are those who disappear into their cause — whose names may fade, but whose work endures.

So let this teaching be your compass, O seeker of influence: when you rise to lead, remember that your greatness is not measured by how many follow you, but by how many you uplift. Remember that the cause is greater than the self, and that power, when used rightly, is an offering, not a prize. Serve with clean hands, speak with truth, act with empathy. For in serving others, you become what all true leaders are meant to be — a vessel of something greater, a voice not of self-glory, but of the collective soul.

Thus, Andy Stern’s words echo through the corridors of time as both a warning and a beacon: the union is more than you. The movement, the mission, the people — they are the true purpose. Guard that purpose with your life, and you shall never lose your morals, your focus, or your leadership. Forget it, and even if the world calls you powerful, you will already have fallen.