Within Powerful (SEIU) Union, Debate Over Mission Intensifies

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/us/05labor.html?ref=us

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: April 5, 2008

Politicians often pay unusual deference to Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, because he heads the nation’s fastest-growing, most politically potent union.

But within some segments of labor, Mr. Stern has been accused of betrayal, of cutting “sweetheart deals” with employers, deals that Mr. Stern says make it easier to unionize more workers.

Now Mr. Stern is going on the offensive, saying his labor critics often selfishly safeguard the interests of their unions’ members while ignoring the concerns of the 88 percent of workers who do not belong to unions.

Just as it was wrong for many unions to exclude blacks, Hispanics and women in decades past, he said, it is wrong for unions not to do their utmost to unionize the nation’s nonunion workers.

Mr. Stern is speaking out in preparation for what is expected to be a tumultuous union convention next month in Puerto Rico.

His critics plan to introduce amendments to weaken his authority, accusing him of selling out workers by negotiating back-room deals that sacrificed some gains for current union members, like health coverage for retirees.

FULL story at link.