January 27th, 2010
In These Times: Will NUHW Election Win Spark Larger Exodus From SEIU?
A year ago, Service Employees union (SEIU) president Andy Stern took control of the 150,000-member California healthcare workers local, putting United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) into trusteeship. The ousted president, Sal Rosselli, and many other officials, staff, stewards and members then launched a new union, National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and filed many petitions to decertify UHW/SEIU and replace it with the new union.
But on the eve of the trusteeship anniversary, NUHW yesterday won a strikingly lopsided victory among 2,300 workers in three highly skilled units at dozens of Kaiser Permanente facilities in southern California. As reported on this site yesterday, registered nurses voted 746-36, psychiatric and social workers 717-192, and healthcare professionals (like dietitians) 189-26—all for NUHW over SEIU-UHW.
January 27th, 2010
San Diego Union Tribune: Area Kaiser workers vote for new union
By Keith Darcé
Kaiser Permanente workers in San Diego County and other parts of Southern California have struck a blow against the Service Employees International Union by voting to leave the powerful organization and join a competing labor group headed by former SEIU leaders.
Results of the voting were announced yesterday, nearly a year after executives of SEIU offices in California were ousted by the union giant’s national president in a power struggle. The deposed leaders quickly formed a rival group, the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
January 27th, 2010
Photos: Kaiser workers win big
Dozens of Kaiser and hospital workers came to the Los Angeles labor board office to watch the ballot count and celebrate our victory together. Click here to watch the slideshow in a full-screen window.
January 27th, 2010
KAISER WORKERS WIN BIG: 1,652 to 257
2,300 Kaiser professionals in Southern California have joined NUHW in a landslide election victory. NUHW statement | Year One report Los Angeles Times In These Times Sacramento Business Journal Labor Notes Beyond Chron San Diego Union Tribune
January 27th, 2010
Kaiser workers vote to join NUHW, reject SEIU in three elections
New member-led union caps first year with biggest victories yet; votes called a “referendum” against SEIU’s power grabs and secret deals with employers
LOS ANGELES—Nearly one year to the day after SEIU seized control of California’s healthcare union in a hostile takeover, nurses and healthcare professionals at nearly 100 Kaiser hospitals and clinics have voted to take back their union by joining the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
“Today we’ve restored democracy and integrity in our union,” said Irma Dufelmeier, a registered nurse at Kaiser’s Los Angeles Medical Center. “At Kaiser, we’ve won the highest standards in the country for healthcare workers and our patients. Now we have a member-led union where we can protect those standards. These elections are a referendum on SEIU’s backroom deals with healthcare corporations that give away workers’ and patients’ rights.”
The National Labor Relations Board counted ballots today for 2,300 workers in three bargaining units. Workers’ victory was overwhelming, with 1,652 voting to join NUHW and just 254 for SEIU. Registered nurses at Kaiser’s Los Angeles Medical Center voted 746 to 36 for NUHW; psychiatric social workers voted 717 to 192; and other healthcare professionals voted 189 to 29.