SEIU Local Boss Dave Regan Faces Assault Allegations Amid California Tax Dispute

The accusations against a major labor leader with documented federal lobbying activity raise questions about internal accountability within one of the country's largest union organizations.

Dave Regan, president of Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), is facing a workplace assault allegation from a former colleague that has emerged alongside a public dispute over a California billionaire tax initiative, according to a report published September 11, 2026, by the New York Post.

Courtni Pugh, who formerly served as head of the SEIU California State Council, stated that Regan kicked open her office door in 2009, physically pushed her against a wall, pressed his finger against her chest, and screamed an expletive at her, according to the New York Post report. Pugh has also alleged extortion and threats, though the specific details of those additional allegations were not fully disclosed in available public reporting as of publication.

Regan has denied the allegations and, according to the New York Post, attributed the accusations to a smear campaign connected to California Governor Gavin Newsom. The nature of any purported connection between the Newsom administration and the allegations against Regan is not established in available public records reviewed for this story. What document, if any, would substantiate that claim is unknown.

SEIU-UHW is one of the largest local unions in the United States, representing approximately 100,000 healthcare workers in California, according to the union's own public disclosures. SEIU at the national level has filed Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) reports with the U.S. Senate Office of Public Records reflecting millions of dollars in federal lobbying expenditures over multiple years. Those filings are searchable at lda.senate.gov and cover issues including healthcare policy, labor law, and federal budget matters.

At the federal campaign finance level, SEIU's political action committee has been among the most active labor PACs in recent election cycles. Federal Election Commission records show SEIU-related PACs contributed to Democratic candidates and party committees in the 2024 cycle, though the precise dollar totals for the 2026 cycle are still being compiled as campaign finance reporting deadlines continue through the election season. FEC filings are publicly available at fec.gov.

The dispute that forms the backdrop of the current allegations involves a California ballot initiative targeting billionaire wealth. The specific initiative and its current status in the California legislative or ballot process are a matter of state, not federal, record. The federal relevance lies in SEIU's role as a significant participant in federal lobbying and campaign finance activity, meaning leadership controversies within the organization carry potential implications for its Washington, D.C., operations.

Regan has led SEIU-UHW since 2009, according to the union's publicly available leadership history. The alleged incident described by Pugh also dates to 2009, the same year Regan assumed leadership of the local. Why the allegation is surfacing publicly in 2026 is not explained in available source material. Whether Pugh filed any complaint at the time of the alleged incident with a law enforcement agency, a union grievance body, or another administrative authority is unknown. A police report, union internal complaint record, or civil court filing would be the documents that would clarify that question.

No criminal charges against Regan appear in publicly accessible federal or California state court databases reviewed for this story. Whether any civil litigation has been filed by Pugh is unknown as of publication. A search of relevant court dockets would reveal that information.

SEIU as an institution has faced prior internal governance disputes. In 2009 and 2010, SEIU placed several locals under trusteeship following disagreements over organizing strategy and finances, actions that were documented in federal Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) filings with the U.S. Department of Labor. Those records are publicly searchable at the DOL's online portal.

The allegation against Regan has not, as of September 12, 2026, prompted any public response from SEIU's national leadership, based on a review of SEIU's official communications. Whether the national union has opened an internal review is unknown. An internal union resolution, a Department of Labor complaint under the LMRDA, or a civil court filing would be the records that would next advance public understanding of this matter.