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Indybay Feature
SEIU’s “Shock and Awe” Campaign in Fresno
Un-cut and un-censored video from an SEIU rally in Fresno held on Sunday, May 31 2009. This rally was held on the eve of an historic election that will take place in Fresno County and will determine who will represent 10,000 homecare workers. For context about this struggle, see: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/18/18595745.php
National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2009 — Contact: Sadie Crabtree, 213-400-8845
Workers fear SEIU’s violent “shock and awe” tactics on Day One of union election
SEIU has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence against other unions—SEIU Trustee with record of violence tells staff, "We gotta put them in the ground and bury them"
Fresno, Calif.—Today is the first day of a highly contested union election for 10,000 homecare workers in Fresno County who are trying to leave the Washington, D.C.-based SEIU, a union that has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence in inter-union conflicts. The stakes have never been higher for SEIU officials, who are desperately trying to stop a movement of nearly 100,000 healthcare workers in California who are organizing to quit SEIU and join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
Current and former SEIU organizers have reported SEIU’s use of so-called “shock and awe” teams to incite violence, including stalking, threatening and intimidating supporters of opposing unions. With 900 paid SEIU staff from across the country in Fresno County today, workers are worried about a repeat of recent violent attacks.
At an SEIU meeting yesterday, SEIU-UHW Trustee Dave Regan encouraged hundreds of SEIU staff to "administer an old-school ass-whipping" to NUHW supporters. "In other words, what we gotta do here, my old-school friends, is we have to administer an old-school ass-whipping over the next two weeks," he said. "I know everybody knows what means. We gotta give a butt-whipping they will never forget," he added. "We gotta put them in the ground and bury them."
Last April, Regan led 300 SEIU staff in storming a peaceful union conference in Michigan, injuring several workers and prompting AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to condemn the assault. "There is no justification—none—for the violent attack orchestrated by SEIU at the Labor Notes conference,” he said.
During the same conflict, an SEIU organizer reported being assigned with a team to mob CNA supporters at California hospitals and scream insults at them to provoke a physical response. SEIU organizers then called police and the media, accusing the victim of assaulting them.
Several Fresno homecare providers have recently reported being harassed with calls to their homes in the middle of the night by callers fraudulently claiming to be with NUHW in an apparent effort to incite false anger at NUHW in the days before the election. Homecare workers are concerned that SEIU staff may also impersonate NUHW supporters to harass workers in person at their homes.
Homecare providers have also reported being threatened by SEIU staff that they will lose their jobs or have their pay or hours cut if they vote to join NUHW, a threat that is illegal under federal labor law.
# # #
The National Union of Healthcare Workers is an independent, member-led union, dedicated to improving the lives of healthcare workers and the people they care for. NUHW is building a national movement of caregivers to hold healthcare corporations accountable to the public interest and win affordable, quality healthcare for all.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2009 — Contact: Sadie Crabtree, 213-400-8845
Workers fear SEIU’s violent “shock and awe” tactics on Day One of union election
SEIU has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence against other unions—SEIU Trustee with record of violence tells staff, "We gotta put them in the ground and bury them"
Fresno, Calif.—Today is the first day of a highly contested union election for 10,000 homecare workers in Fresno County who are trying to leave the Washington, D.C.-based SEIU, a union that has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence in inter-union conflicts. The stakes have never been higher for SEIU officials, who are desperately trying to stop a movement of nearly 100,000 healthcare workers in California who are organizing to quit SEIU and join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
Current and former SEIU organizers have reported SEIU’s use of so-called “shock and awe” teams to incite violence, including stalking, threatening and intimidating supporters of opposing unions. With 900 paid SEIU staff from across the country in Fresno County today, workers are worried about a repeat of recent violent attacks.
At an SEIU meeting yesterday, SEIU-UHW Trustee Dave Regan encouraged hundreds of SEIU staff to "administer an old-school ass-whipping" to NUHW supporters. "In other words, what we gotta do here, my old-school friends, is we have to administer an old-school ass-whipping over the next two weeks," he said. "I know everybody knows what means. We gotta give a butt-whipping they will never forget," he added. "We gotta put them in the ground and bury them."
Last April, Regan led 300 SEIU staff in storming a peaceful union conference in Michigan, injuring several workers and prompting AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to condemn the assault. "There is no justification—none—for the violent attack orchestrated by SEIU at the Labor Notes conference,” he said.
During the same conflict, an SEIU organizer reported being assigned with a team to mob CNA supporters at California hospitals and scream insults at them to provoke a physical response. SEIU organizers then called police and the media, accusing the victim of assaulting them.
Several Fresno homecare providers have recently reported being harassed with calls to their homes in the middle of the night by callers fraudulently claiming to be with NUHW in an apparent effort to incite false anger at NUHW in the days before the election. Homecare workers are concerned that SEIU staff may also impersonate NUHW supporters to harass workers in person at their homes.
Homecare providers have also reported being threatened by SEIU staff that they will lose their jobs or have their pay or hours cut if they vote to join NUHW, a threat that is illegal under federal labor law.
# # #
The National Union of Healthcare Workers is an independent, member-led union, dedicated to improving the lives of healthcare workers and the people they care for. NUHW is building a national movement of caregivers to hold healthcare corporations accountable to the public interest and win affordable, quality healthcare for all.
For more information:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/1...
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Power to the People. I hope many realize they can't trust the current SEIU. It is too bad the got corrupted.
I know Mike has worked for decades for worker's rights, so I trust anything he prints, I hope the people of Fresno realize they have to help their brothers and sisters against SEIU tactics.
I know Mike has worked for decades for worker's rights, so I trust anything he prints, I hope the people of Fresno realize they have to help their brothers and sisters against SEIU tactics.
UHW before NUHW wasn't very democratic. Their membership, amazing. Their leadership, another white-man-dictated version of the same Stern b.s.
I agree that SEIU members need to question the corporate and fascist International (D.C. leadership of Stern). It's just not a reality for all SEIU members to de-certify and go form another union. And, to be honest, if you can't tell from my first few lines, a majority of SEIU members in California do not trust Rosselli and the old UHW leadership. There would be no reason to try to go with NUHW.
Let the future members of NUHW determine what their Union will be. But stop jumping on the NUHW bandwagon without knowing facts or listening to UHW members who don't like Stern and don't like Roselli and NUHW for the same reasons.
Those of us in SEIU trying to reform or change our locals may benefit from NUHW winning in Fresno. We' blame Stern and the International for why UHW members are decertifying. This situation is the result of Stern and his idiots. We in SEIU (way beyond just the healthcare workers of UHW/NUHW) are actively working to take back our Union. But we do not believe decertifying is a viable solution.
I agree that SEIU members need to question the corporate and fascist International (D.C. leadership of Stern). It's just not a reality for all SEIU members to de-certify and go form another union. And, to be honest, if you can't tell from my first few lines, a majority of SEIU members in California do not trust Rosselli and the old UHW leadership. There would be no reason to try to go with NUHW.
Let the future members of NUHW determine what their Union will be. But stop jumping on the NUHW bandwagon without knowing facts or listening to UHW members who don't like Stern and don't like Roselli and NUHW for the same reasons.
Those of us in SEIU trying to reform or change our locals may benefit from NUHW winning in Fresno. We' blame Stern and the International for why UHW members are decertifying. This situation is the result of Stern and his idiots. We in SEIU (way beyond just the healthcare workers of UHW/NUHW) are actively working to take back our Union. But we do not believe decertifying is a viable solution.
as someone who has decertified seiu 521 in yosemite, and as someone who has talked to hundreds of homecare workers in fresno county...
i think that decertification of seiu is the only possible solution for uhw members because so many other things have been tried and seiu has never listened. an independent union is the only solution and thats where NUHW comes in. i am sure that i don't agree with sal completely, but NUHW offers hope and the possibility of a real union free of SEIU.
i hope that whatever happens allows SEIU rank and filers more control over their union, whether that is by going independent or by taking their union locals back.
i know its complicated but its not like SEIU is allowing rank and filers a choice - as seen in the UHW vote with no decent choices back in Dec. or in the rigged vote in local 888 just last month. if folks don't get to have the vote in SEIU, then the only choice is to vote to get out...
so though decertification may not necessarily be a viable solution. it becomes the only possible solution under Stern and Co.'s tyranny. it's difficult and requires a lot of effort, but its possible. as we saw in the election at doctors medical center in san pablo and we will see in fresno.
si se puede!!
i think that decertification of seiu is the only possible solution for uhw members because so many other things have been tried and seiu has never listened. an independent union is the only solution and thats where NUHW comes in. i am sure that i don't agree with sal completely, but NUHW offers hope and the possibility of a real union free of SEIU.
i hope that whatever happens allows SEIU rank and filers more control over their union, whether that is by going independent or by taking their union locals back.
i know its complicated but its not like SEIU is allowing rank and filers a choice - as seen in the UHW vote with no decent choices back in Dec. or in the rigged vote in local 888 just last month. if folks don't get to have the vote in SEIU, then the only choice is to vote to get out...
so though decertification may not necessarily be a viable solution. it becomes the only possible solution under Stern and Co.'s tyranny. it's difficult and requires a lot of effort, but its possible. as we saw in the election at doctors medical center in san pablo and we will see in fresno.
si se puede!!
The vote at Doctors Hospital was a overwhelming defeat for the SEIU International . 7 backwward workers voted for no union at all , 24 for remaining with the SEIU and 158 for the NUHW !
That says a helluva a lot .
That says a helluva a lot .
My Thoughts on Regan's Speech
I've been a homecare worker in Fresno for 16 years, was a civil rights activist in the South during the 1960s, and was an elected member of SEIU-UHW's Executive Board until January.
While I know there are many good organizers in SEIU, I've learned I can't say the same thing about SEIU's top leaders.
In the 1960s, Dr. King taught us how to be good organizers. He told us to put ourselves in the shoes of everyone we talked to so we could see the world through their eyes. And he taught us to always be true to the moral principles that guided our movement.
On Sunday, one of SEIU's highest officials did exactly the opposite.
In a speech to 1,000 SEIU organizers at Fresno County's fairgrounds, SEIU Executive Vice President Dave Regan started out by disrespecting my city - he basically called it a cowtown.
Even though he's a trustee of SEIU-UHW, Regan is so out of touch with our state that he doesn't even realize that Fresno County - with almost a million people - is one of California's fastest growing counties and is the key battleground for our state's political future. (Click here to see a video of Regan's speech ).
And instead of trying to see the world through homecare workers' eyes, Regan talked as if we homecare workers don't even exist.
He refused to recognize the Fresno homecare workers - mostly women - who volunteered hundreds of hours to go door-to-door in their neighborhoods to collect thousands of signatures so we could hold this election to join our new union.
He refused to recognize our legitimate reasons for leaving SEIU so we can build an independent and democratic union.
Instead, what did he do? He called on SEIU staffers to "whip our asses" and "bury us in the ground."
This is the same arrogance that one of SEIU's out-of-state staffers, Rebecca Malberg, showed us earlier this year when she locked 40 Fresno homecare workers out of an arbitration over the county's proposed cuts to our wages.
And it's the same arrogance that caused SEIU leaders to try to force Fresno homecare workers into Tyrone Freeman's corrupt local without giving us a real democratic vote.
Unfortunately, Reagan's style of leadership and his "whip-their-ass" speech is having a sad, but predictable, effect on his staff. Yesterday, two SEIU staff committed acts of violence against homecare workers who support NUHW. (Click here to see press coverage .) The police are reportedly searching for at least one of the SEIU staffers so they can arrest him.
I hope other SEIU staff will join me in calling on Dave Regan and other SEIU officials to think hard about the kind of leadership they're giving to SEIU. And I call on all of us to remember the important lessons about moral leadership that Dr. King taught our nation.
Sincerely,
Flo Furlow
I've been a homecare worker in Fresno for 16 years, was a civil rights activist in the South during the 1960s, and was an elected member of SEIU-UHW's Executive Board until January.
While I know there are many good organizers in SEIU, I've learned I can't say the same thing about SEIU's top leaders.
In the 1960s, Dr. King taught us how to be good organizers. He told us to put ourselves in the shoes of everyone we talked to so we could see the world through their eyes. And he taught us to always be true to the moral principles that guided our movement.
On Sunday, one of SEIU's highest officials did exactly the opposite.
In a speech to 1,000 SEIU organizers at Fresno County's fairgrounds, SEIU Executive Vice President Dave Regan started out by disrespecting my city - he basically called it a cowtown.
Even though he's a trustee of SEIU-UHW, Regan is so out of touch with our state that he doesn't even realize that Fresno County - with almost a million people - is one of California's fastest growing counties and is the key battleground for our state's political future. (Click here to see a video of Regan's speech ).
And instead of trying to see the world through homecare workers' eyes, Regan talked as if we homecare workers don't even exist.
He refused to recognize the Fresno homecare workers - mostly women - who volunteered hundreds of hours to go door-to-door in their neighborhoods to collect thousands of signatures so we could hold this election to join our new union.
He refused to recognize our legitimate reasons for leaving SEIU so we can build an independent and democratic union.
Instead, what did he do? He called on SEIU staffers to "whip our asses" and "bury us in the ground."
This is the same arrogance that one of SEIU's out-of-state staffers, Rebecca Malberg, showed us earlier this year when she locked 40 Fresno homecare workers out of an arbitration over the county's proposed cuts to our wages.
And it's the same arrogance that caused SEIU leaders to try to force Fresno homecare workers into Tyrone Freeman's corrupt local without giving us a real democratic vote.
Unfortunately, Reagan's style of leadership and his "whip-their-ass" speech is having a sad, but predictable, effect on his staff. Yesterday, two SEIU staff committed acts of violence against homecare workers who support NUHW. (Click here to see press coverage .) The police are reportedly searching for at least one of the SEIU staffers so they can arrest him.
I hope other SEIU staff will join me in calling on Dave Regan and other SEIU officials to think hard about the kind of leadership they're giving to SEIU. And I call on all of us to remember the important lessons about moral leadership that Dr. King taught our nation.
Sincerely,
Flo Furlow
irlandeso-- (521 in Yosemite, really??)
I can understand members of UHW feeling like decertifying and starting/joining NUHW. However, it is just not that simple for the rest of SEIU members, and it is not how we all feel. And this is not the only issue. Those of us working to reform and take back our locals in the SEIU all across the country have learned from the trusteeship of UHW. Some feel de-certs may be the solution, but most of us are getting ready to put up some tough fights against the tyrants in DC, beginning at the locals.
Rosselli and Co. decided to get out and start NUHW thinking they are better than the rest of us (very condescending, and don't get me start with what we know Rosselli and his gang have been known to state). I've said this before, but I really feel that the decision to form NUHW instead of staying and fighting from within is where we all split and went different ways. Right or wrong, that's not the issue. I can only hope that members from both SEIU and UHW/NUHW keep at the leadership of a nationwide reform in the labor-union movement, and not cliche privileged white dudes like Stern & Rosselli.
You are wrong about SEIU Local 888. It is not another example of Stern's tyranny, not quite yet at least. It is sad to say that the reason for calling for a re-election in 888 is legit. The problems presented in the complaints by the Sternite team merited a re-election. Do your research. I felt the same way you did when I first heard about the election reversal. Believe me, those of us within SEIU fighting the power were ready to fight and call the Sternites at 888 a bunch of fascists. We are glad that at least there will be a re-election and NOT a total handover to the Sternite team. But us reformers will be watching what goes on in 888's re-election. The Stern fuckers have been put on check.
As for my own personal perspective, as a rank and file member in SEIU, I'm more concerned about my co-workers in my chapter and in my worksite. This comes first. Big world-wide-insitutional Union shit comes second. When we empower our members to show up and demand change at the Union hall, that's what counts. Not some legalistic b.s. at the NLRB. When Stern and his a**hole friends come messing around with our members' locals, we'll be ready to give them a good fight.
Sadly, UHW (pre-trusteeship) never resembled a union much apart from the average SEIU local when it came to serving its members. I can only hope NUHW doesn't go that route and indeed follows a more member-driven ideology.
Paz y Justicia!
I can understand members of UHW feeling like decertifying and starting/joining NUHW. However, it is just not that simple for the rest of SEIU members, and it is not how we all feel. And this is not the only issue. Those of us working to reform and take back our locals in the SEIU all across the country have learned from the trusteeship of UHW. Some feel de-certs may be the solution, but most of us are getting ready to put up some tough fights against the tyrants in DC, beginning at the locals.
Rosselli and Co. decided to get out and start NUHW thinking they are better than the rest of us (very condescending, and don't get me start with what we know Rosselli and his gang have been known to state). I've said this before, but I really feel that the decision to form NUHW instead of staying and fighting from within is where we all split and went different ways. Right or wrong, that's not the issue. I can only hope that members from both SEIU and UHW/NUHW keep at the leadership of a nationwide reform in the labor-union movement, and not cliche privileged white dudes like Stern & Rosselli.
You are wrong about SEIU Local 888. It is not another example of Stern's tyranny, not quite yet at least. It is sad to say that the reason for calling for a re-election in 888 is legit. The problems presented in the complaints by the Sternite team merited a re-election. Do your research. I felt the same way you did when I first heard about the election reversal. Believe me, those of us within SEIU fighting the power were ready to fight and call the Sternites at 888 a bunch of fascists. We are glad that at least there will be a re-election and NOT a total handover to the Sternite team. But us reformers will be watching what goes on in 888's re-election. The Stern fuckers have been put on check.
As for my own personal perspective, as a rank and file member in SEIU, I'm more concerned about my co-workers in my chapter and in my worksite. This comes first. Big world-wide-insitutional Union shit comes second. When we empower our members to show up and demand change at the Union hall, that's what counts. Not some legalistic b.s. at the NLRB. When Stern and his a**hole friends come messing around with our members' locals, we'll be ready to give them a good fight.
Sadly, UHW (pre-trusteeship) never resembled a union much apart from the average SEIU local when it came to serving its members. I can only hope NUHW doesn't go that route and indeed follows a more member-driven ideology.
Paz y Justicia!
Yesterday we decided to take a break from not doing work on this wack campaign. Not that the entire week hasn't been a big paid vacation from doing real work for our members. Everyone I've talked to had been assigned around 7-10 contacts to reach over 2 days, working 12 hour shifts each day. That's the same 7-10 people over a total span of 24 hours. Are you f---ing kidding me??? I could do that in my sleep, as many people have definitely been doing back in their hotel rooms (many with my encouragement, of course). Even our lead was boggled about what we were supposed to do for the several hours we would be in the field for. Knowing how much I and all the other staff that are mandated to be here get paid, that adds up to an ENORMOUS F---ING WASTE of our member's dues dollars.
And how about all the work that's NOT getting done in the meantime? One staff person was beside himself (outside of the wacko environ of the fairgrounds of course) about why the hell were we stuck here while the Governor is about to gut Homecare? While we're fighting on the wrong side of Labor's Vietnam, who in the hell is fighting the Governor? Right now, at the most crucial time for our members, the answer is: NO ONE.
Anyway, back to our break (I normally would never do this on a campaign, and never have, but this of course has been anything but a normal campaign). We had a terrific day, and it really raised our spirits. Let's just say that we took your advice Perez; the forests outside of Fresno are so beautiful! And when I say we, it's because I've formed a "mole team" of organizers who get their "assignments" (ha!) in the morning, then work to assess the contacts (discouraging those who are voting SEIU of course) then reporting to NUHW throughout the day on undecideds or those leaning either way who they should follow up with. Of course, we were able to knock those out in an hour or so, which left the whole day for our trip. I still felt oddly guilty about not working, I guess because I'm normally not a screw-off at my job; but it really was needed, Perez. I promise we'll send you photos of our next one!
Today when we arrived at 8am we were told we'd be getting new turf. We were so excited! Then we waited....and waited.....and waited.... We weren't finally awarded our new contacts for a full two hours after we arrived! And that's after we were told International staff had been "up all night" cutting new turf. And guess how many they gave us, after all that buildup? 7-10 members! Really? Really. I mean, these guys couldn't campaign their way out of a paper bag for anything less than a million dollars a day. Anyway, once we were dispatched we once again began doing our assessments...for NUHW, of course. Not as many contacts today...but we'll keep trying, we promise!
Oh, and kudos to the bosses for the snacks provided today...AFTER everyone returned from the field. WTF??? Aren't we supposed to get those in the morning, for while we're out? Sometimes I guess it's the little things that really blow your mind. Can't wait for tomorrow to see what new jack-ass decisions come out of this Franken-paign.
Good night, and good luck, Fresno Home Care Workers. Remember many of us are with you.
And how about all the work that's NOT getting done in the meantime? One staff person was beside himself (outside of the wacko environ of the fairgrounds of course) about why the hell were we stuck here while the Governor is about to gut Homecare? While we're fighting on the wrong side of Labor's Vietnam, who in the hell is fighting the Governor? Right now, at the most crucial time for our members, the answer is: NO ONE.
Anyway, back to our break (I normally would never do this on a campaign, and never have, but this of course has been anything but a normal campaign). We had a terrific day, and it really raised our spirits. Let's just say that we took your advice Perez; the forests outside of Fresno are so beautiful! And when I say we, it's because I've formed a "mole team" of organizers who get their "assignments" (ha!) in the morning, then work to assess the contacts (discouraging those who are voting SEIU of course) then reporting to NUHW throughout the day on undecideds or those leaning either way who they should follow up with. Of course, we were able to knock those out in an hour or so, which left the whole day for our trip. I still felt oddly guilty about not working, I guess because I'm normally not a screw-off at my job; but it really was needed, Perez. I promise we'll send you photos of our next one!
Today when we arrived at 8am we were told we'd be getting new turf. We were so excited! Then we waited....and waited.....and waited.... We weren't finally awarded our new contacts for a full two hours after we arrived! And that's after we were told International staff had been "up all night" cutting new turf. And guess how many they gave us, after all that buildup? 7-10 members! Really? Really. I mean, these guys couldn't campaign their way out of a paper bag for anything less than a million dollars a day. Anyway, once we were dispatched we once again began doing our assessments...for NUHW, of course. Not as many contacts today...but we'll keep trying, we promise!
Oh, and kudos to the bosses for the snacks provided today...AFTER everyone returned from the field. WTF??? Aren't we supposed to get those in the morning, for while we're out? Sometimes I guess it's the little things that really blow your mind. Can't wait for tomorrow to see what new jack-ass decisions come out of this Franken-paign.
Good night, and good luck, Fresno Home Care Workers. Remember many of us are with you.
Trying to win the hearts and minds of Fresno homecare workers? You could try telling them that they're not qualified to talk to their own coworkers...
"I was talking to a homecare worker last night, she said that three people from Minnesota came to her door. They were students that SEIU were paying and flew out here, NOT union members, NOT SEIU staff, "contracted out" organizers hired by SEIU to talk to people in the Hmong community.
Mai, a homecare worker for six years, asked them "why is SEIU flying all these people into town and paying you, why didn't they ask us?" Answer: "you don't have experience."
Mai was outraged that SEIU would think that homecare workers were not "experienced enough" to talk to their co-workers."
Or hey, you could just spend their money on more billboards!
"I was talking to a homecare worker last night, she said that three people from Minnesota came to her door. They were students that SEIU were paying and flew out here, NOT union members, NOT SEIU staff, "contracted out" organizers hired by SEIU to talk to people in the Hmong community.
Mai, a homecare worker for six years, asked them "why is SEIU flying all these people into town and paying you, why didn't they ask us?" Answer: "you don't have experience."
Mai was outraged that SEIU would think that homecare workers were not "experienced enough" to talk to their co-workers."
Or hey, you could just spend their money on more billboards!
Because as SEIU seems to have forgotten, most people care more about homecare workers and consumers than about SEIU...
"As a long-time homecare consumer advocate and proud NUHW supporter from Fresno, I loved the part in Dave Regan's speech where he says, in effect, "We wouldn't have found our way to Fresno if we didn't have to be here."
Heartwarming. I can't abide the circumstances or the timing of the trusteeship, let alone the distractions from our fight to maintain homecare. The rhetoric of "those who inflicted it" trying to blame "those who resisted it" is just galling."
"As a long-time homecare consumer advocate and proud NUHW supporter from Fresno, I loved the part in Dave Regan's speech where he says, in effect, "We wouldn't have found our way to Fresno if we didn't have to be here."
Heartwarming. I can't abide the circumstances or the timing of the trusteeship, let alone the distractions from our fight to maintain homecare. The rhetoric of "those who inflicted it" trying to blame "those who resisted it" is just galling."
Confirmation comes from readers that Stern and his top operatives are pissed that Dave Regan let himself get caught on camera sounding like the thug he is.
Increasingly concerned about the damage the Californiraq campaign is doing to their reputation and community goodwill, SEIU recognize what a huge error it was for the face of their camping to brag about his plans for "an old fashioned ass whipping'" and "a stake through the heart", as well as insulting Fresno and declaring he'd never normally to go there (although local sources say that was actually the most popular part of the speech!).
As a result of what SEIU insiders apparently see as Regan losing control, he now may not speak to an audience without having his speech pre-planned and vetted by senior communications staff! A reader says that Dave feels "castrated"!
Increasingly concerned about the damage the Californiraq campaign is doing to their reputation and community goodwill, SEIU recognize what a huge error it was for the face of their camping to brag about his plans for "an old fashioned ass whipping'" and "a stake through the heart", as well as insulting Fresno and declaring he'd never normally to go there (although local sources say that was actually the most popular part of the speech!).
As a result of what SEIU insiders apparently see as Regan losing control, he now may not speak to an audience without having his speech pre-planned and vetted by senior communications staff! A reader says that Dave feels "castrated"!
For more information:
http://perezstern.blogspot.com/2009/06/dav...
Nearly six years ago, three geographic groups of CDCR teachers were sold out by SEIU. At that time, SEIU Local 1000 brought a contract "proposal" before full membership, which called for UNPRECEDENTED pay disparity between California state employees engaged in the SAME work, in the SAME job classification, for the SAME employer. A backdoor agreement between union and state management was presented to CDCR educators--who had received no across-the-board raises for several years prior to this proposal-- effectively creating pay discrimination based on geography. This despite the fact that such pay disparity violated BOTH the Ca. Civil Service Code and union principles. CDCR teachers were told, by SEIU local 1000 reps to "take it or leave it". There would be no further negotiation with the state.
Ironically, two of the three areas targeted for the lowest pay scales (who teach in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties)face some of California's highest housing costs. So, for six years (and counting) families, retirements (based as they are, on highest year salaries), and the economies of local communities have suffered. Once ratified, SEIU has a fiduciary responsibility to defend the contract. They have done so with vigor, half truths, and skillfully dividing membership against itself. The disenfranchised (READ: non-represented) teachers in the three fore mentioned areas are left without real voice in future contract negotiations and the bleak options of (1)paying to retain legal representation against "their own" union or(2) working towards its eventual decertification.
I would strongly urge ANY group considering union representation to research the current practices of SEIU leadership. A Facebook site, Zuhp focuses on news of Fresno County employees(SEIU Local 521) who have received equally unconscionable treatment from SEIU . I fear that the corruption and questionable union practices regularly noted on this site are "only the tip" of the purple iceberg!
SEIU would have the public believe that it is a Labor Organization, operating for the benefit of workers. Truth is, SEIU is Big Labor Business, run amok. It deserves neither the "sacred cow" union status its leaders hide behind, nor the respect of its 'captive' rank and file members. Service Employees International is certainly NOT about service to its employee members. An insular SEIU leadership elite proclaims an interest in worker justice. But many, many member employees beg to differ.
Ironically, two of the three areas targeted for the lowest pay scales (who teach in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties)face some of California's highest housing costs. So, for six years (and counting) families, retirements (based as they are, on highest year salaries), and the economies of local communities have suffered. Once ratified, SEIU has a fiduciary responsibility to defend the contract. They have done so with vigor, half truths, and skillfully dividing membership against itself. The disenfranchised (READ: non-represented) teachers in the three fore mentioned areas are left without real voice in future contract negotiations and the bleak options of (1)paying to retain legal representation against "their own" union or(2) working towards its eventual decertification.
I would strongly urge ANY group considering union representation to research the current practices of SEIU leadership. A Facebook site, Zuhp focuses on news of Fresno County employees(SEIU Local 521) who have received equally unconscionable treatment from SEIU . I fear that the corruption and questionable union practices regularly noted on this site are "only the tip" of the purple iceberg!
SEIU would have the public believe that it is a Labor Organization, operating for the benefit of workers. Truth is, SEIU is Big Labor Business, run amok. It deserves neither the "sacred cow" union status its leaders hide behind, nor the respect of its 'captive' rank and file members. Service Employees International is certainly NOT about service to its employee members. An insular SEIU leadership elite proclaims an interest in worker justice. But many, many member employees beg to differ.
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