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:
November 30th, 2009
Talking Union: Leaving SEIU and Joining NUHW
An Open Letter to my SEIU friends, former co-workers, and all SEIU members and staff
By Paul Krehbiel
As a former staff worker for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 660 (now 721) in Los Angeles from 1998 – 2007, I am appalled by the degeneration of SEIU under the direction of President Andy Stern. While Local 660 had its share of problems, it had been in many respects a vibrant union. I was committed to Local 660 and its members and worked hard to build a strong, democratic, member-empowered union. But I can no longer remain silent about the degeneration I see, not only in Local 721, but also in many other SEIU units that Stern and his agents have taken over.
November 26th, 2009
Union allies gather to support NUHW, undeterred by SEIU violence
As union leaders, elected officials, and community allies gathered this month to support healthcare workers, paid SEIU staff tried to deter them with violence and empty threats. Beyond Chron reported on SEIU’s attacks on progressive leaders and on supporters in Los Angeles, which have only increased support for NUHW and further isolated SEIU. Yesterday, the […]
November 24th, 2009
Immigrant and disability advocates protest SEIU voter intimidation
Workers say SEIU is retaliating against whistle-blowers after illegal tactics exposed by Wall Street Journal
Fresno, Calif.—Immigrant and disability advocates spoke out at a protest today outside the Fresno office of the labor union SEIU. SEIU came under fire last week for allegedly tampering with ballots and making illegal threats against its own members—including threats that immigrant workers could be deported—in this summer’s controversial union election for 10,000 Fresno homecare providers.
“No union has the right to threaten to deport workers,” said Leonel Flores, an organizer with the Fresno-based Union de Exbraceros y de Inmigrantes. “Many workers have no way to legalize their status. But all workers have rights. SEIU must stop the threats and start treating workers with respect.”