SEIU's attack on union democracy

[Hannah Bell]

THE QUIET decorum of a courtroom is a far cry from a union hall. But in San Francisco, it is precisely in a federal court where an extremely crucial and unprecedented debate is taking place that may fundamentally alter how much democratic control members exercise over local union chapters.

The 1.8 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has brought a $25 million lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary responsibilities under both national and state laws and for violations of the SEIU constitution against 26 former elected officers, staff and organizers of their third-largest national unit, the 150,000 member United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW).

The 26 defendants are currently supporters of a new union, the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), which is also being sued. SEIU claims the defendants "sabotaged our union, misused our dues money, and deliberately and directly harmed members."

Is it unlawful for locally elected union leaders to vigorously defend their members, even when in sharp conflict with the international union? This is the real issue posed. Allegations of fiduciary malfeasance only shroud widely differing concepts of union democracy. In that sense, this is fundamentally a political trial and not about misappropriation of funds.

http://socialistworker.org/2010/03/31/seiu-attack-on-union-democracy

[Selatius]

1. It's crap like that that actually hurts unionism. It's bad enough fighting corporate power alone.

But, it's like some people need another challenge on top of an already daunting task of unionizing in the face of corporate power.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

2. **FACEPALM**

...then there's shit like this: http://workinprogress.firedoglake.com/2010/03/30/memory-fail-pennsylvania-unions-endorse-specter-the-man-who-killed-the-employee-free-choice-act/

KNR