Workers Independent News: NUHW says it has strong support
The National Union Of Healthcare Workers says it has strong support as an election begins for 10,000 home health care workers in California. Doug Cunningham reports.
By Doug Cunningham
The Fresno County home health care workers are represented by SEIU. When SEIU took over the United Healthcare West local in a dispute over local union democratic control, many of the local’s leaders formed the National Union of Healthcare Workers. United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta says workers need and deserve to control their union.
[Huerta]: “I think it’s a message to the international that you gotta let democracy work. You can’t just use a heavy hand and try to force conditions on workers without their say-so.”
Robin Blake is going door- to door visiting the home health workers campaigning for the National Union of Health Care Workers.
[Blake]: “It’s about democracy and having a voice. NUHW believes that the workers truly are the union. It’s a member-driven union where we have a voice and decisions are actually made by workers.”
SEIU says it took over its United Healthcare Workers West because its leaders ignored democratic decisions made by the international and mishandled UHW money.
Source: Workers Independent News