December 2nd, 2009
Beyond Chron: SEIU Joins Management in Blocking Union Drive
by Randy Shaw
SEIU, whose mission includes the unionization of hospital workers, is now waging a full-scale campaign to prevent over 600 workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital from joining NUHW, a rival union. SEIU’s effort follows its abandonment of its own union organizing drive at the facility, and its success at convincing workers to vote for “no union” in the December 17 election would ensure these workers remain non-union for years. In response to SEIU’s actions, longtime SEIU supporter Monsignor John Brenkle recently condemned what he described as SEIU’s “anti-union campaign,” and revealed that SEIU had rejected efforts by former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and himself to negotiate ground rules that would avoid negative campaigning and ensure a fair election.
December 2nd, 2009
Labor board OKs 2,300 Kaiser professionals to quit SEIU and join National Union of Healthcare Workers
Ruling by federal government ends nine months of obstruction by SEIU officials
LOS ANGELES—More than 2,300 healthcare professionals at dozens of Kaiser Permanente facilities across Southern California will soon vote on leaving the SEIU to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
A majority of the workers filed petitions to join NUHW in February, but SEIU delayed the election by filing frivolous charges which were rejected yesterday afternoon in a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board. The election should be scheduled within 42 days.
“We’re joining NUHW because we want democracy and integrity in our union again,” said Jim Clifford, MS, a therapist at Kaiser San Diego.
“SEIU has made deals behind our backs to cut our pension and lay off 1,800 of our co-workers,” he said. “We’ve been waiting months for the chance to join NUHW and put members in charge of our union again.”
December 2nd, 2009
Labor board OKs election for 2,300 Kaiser professionals to join NUHW
Jim Clifford, MS, Therapist at Kaiser San Diego Psychiatry
“We’re joining NUHW because we want democracy and integrity in our union again. SEIU has made deals behind our backs to cut our pension and lay off 1,800 of our co-workers. Now’s our chance to put members back in charge of our union.”
More than 2,300 healthcare professionals at dozens of Kaiser Permanente facilities across Southern California will soon vote to leave SEIU and join NUHW.
A majority of the workers filed petitions to join NUHW in February, but SEIU delayed the election by filing frivolous charges which were rejected yesterday afternoon in a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board. The election should be scheduled within 42 days.
December 2nd, 2009
KSRO-AM: Msgr. John Brenkle and Memorial worker Melissa Bosanco live on “The Drive”
Click the play button to hear Monsignor John Brenkle, pastor of St. Helena Catholic Church and Care Partner Melissa Bosanco talk about the union effort at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital on KSRO-AM’s drive-time show.
December 1st, 2009
SEIU refuses mediation by Labor Secretary Robert Reich and Msgr. John Brenkle to ensure a fair union election at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
Statement by Monsignor John Brenkle, pastor of St. Helena Catholic Church
Santa Rosa, Calif.—Local Catholic leader Monsignor John Brenkle today said that SEIU officials are “waging an anti-union campaign” against workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, after SEIU rejected an offer by Brenkle and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich to help set ground rules in a contested union election.
Memorial workers asked for an election to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) in April. Hospital administration and NUHW both agreed to negotiate ground rules for a fair election in which workers would not face intimidation or negative and deceptive campaigning. But the rival union SEIU intervened, and has blocked any such agreement on ground rules by refusing to participate in negotiations, despite appeals from many North Bay faith leaders and labor leaders.
In an email, Secretary Reich said he was “frankly disappointed that SEIU-UHW did not accept the offer made by Monsignor John Brenkle and myself to mediate election ground rules.”
Monsignor Brenkle issued the following statement: