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Can a Union Divided Stand?

UNITE HERE dissolves in conflict … with a little help from SEIU.

By David Moberg

On February 1 Andy Stern, president of the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) met with John Wilhelm, president of the hospitality division of UNITE HERE, at a Washington, D.C. restaurant. They were former allies in the 2005 breakaway from AFL-CIO to form the Change to Win (CTW) labor federation. But it was not a pleasant dinner. Wilhelm says Stern handed him… return to article

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    If you have been keeping up with the coverage of Unite Here’s convention, you will note that most of the labor movement has unequivocally come down on the side of Unite Here.  Even American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten has expressed support for Unite Here.  Judged by their peers, it looks like both Andy Stern and Bruce Raynor are perceived as threats to the labor movement. 


    For more information see:
    http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/AFL_CIO_Condemns_SEIU_Raids_on_UNITE_HERE_70 093.html

    http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/Labor_Movement_Backs_UNITE_HERE_Against_S SEIU_Raids_7088.html

    United States Posted by Jimbo Jones on Jul 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM

    To quote this article—“Through petitions, votes and organizing of members for direct action, UNITE HERE is contesting whether hotel workers want to be a part of Workers United. ‘Workers should decide what they want,‘Wilhelm says. ‘And there needs to be a proper democratic process.’”

    Of course, workers, including hotel workers, who voted to leave UNITE HERE and form Workers United were part of a “proper democratic process.”  They did decide what they want.  That these votes did not go the way UH President John Wilhelm wanted must make them not “proper.”

    For an example of how democratic UNITE HERE really is, note that in it’s convention, that just ended today, about ONE THIRD of all the so-called “member delegates” are PAID STAFF.  When the votes can be scripted to meet the goals Wilhelm seeks, then they are “proper.”

    To respond to Jimbo Jones - you should actually go to UNITE HERE’s own site www.oneunitehere.org, and look at the petition that union leaders signed on to.  You will see it says nothing specific about SEIU or Workers United.  Just another slight of hand by UH to garner more press.  I’d put money on the actual letters from labor leaders not saying anything of substance either.  Wouldn’t they want to put those on their site too if they did?

    It is unfortunate that such a venerable progressive magazine as In These Times has chosen to write such a comprehensive article on the complex UNITE HERE / Workers United fight with little to no discussion with one half of the conflict.  The result is a piece comprised primarily of UNITE HERE talking points, with information purporting to be facts which could easily be refuted.  If Moberg had reached out, he might have also been able to include this memo, which UNITE HERE probably did not give him, that details how UNITE HERE is disguising their actions by, among other things,  planting anti-SEIU articles in the press:  http://www.politico.com/static/PPM116_plan.html

    United States Posted by worker power on Jul 2, 2009 at 12:36 AM

    Another piece that seems to be offering good analysis of this situation as it is unfolding and of the difference between SEIU and Unite Here can be found at:

    http://socialistworker.org/2009/07/02/unite-here-pushes-back

    Also see:

    http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/view/108247

    I think these articles add to Moberg’s analysis. 

    The Daily Kos has also issued some interesting responses to what has transpired.  Although these pieces seem to analyze the information in articles already listed:

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/1/748992/-The-American-Labor-Movt.-v vs.-Andy-Stern

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/1/748997/-NUHW:-Labor-speaks-with-on ne-voice

    United States Posted by Jimbo Jones on Jul 2, 2009 at 7:55 PM

    hmmm.. you guys are right on your points of view.

    Philippines Posted by Dominic on Jul 3, 2009 at 7:11 AM

    I support unions, but I’ve seen my share of unions that simply turned their back on employees that ultimately ended up terminated from their jobs.  If the unions want to gain strength, they really need to return to their core principals.

    United States Posted by Bill_W on Jul 4, 2009 at 12:06 AM

    When I wrote to the AFL/CIO in 1993 to warn that NAFTA would cost us far more than the “low-end” jobs there reply was essentially, “You mind your business and we’ll mind ours.”

    Well, my last good client left in 2004 and I was retired a few years earlier than I wanted. Now it has caught up with them. Union leadership has only cared about their own jobs — workers are on their own and had better realize it.

    United States Posted by whattheheck on Jul 7, 2009 at 7:56 PM
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