SEIU vs. UHW, a ringside seatGuardian intern Joe Sciarrillo was at Friday's takeover of the UHW by SEIU and has these words and images:
Friday afternoon at the United Healthcare Workers headquarters, eight Oakland Police officers mediated a dispute between UHW members resisting the takeover by Service Employees International Union and SEIU representatives who showed up to take custody of the building. Both sides sought to convince the police to let their respective groups stay in the building.
Lover Joyce, a former UHW Executive Board member and medical assistant at Kaiser Walnut Creek, explained to reporters what the SEIU representatives had done around 11am. "They broke into the building, pushed our members" after using bolt-cutters to open the doors. Joyce and several other members had been sleeping at the office for a little over a week, so when SEIU leaders arrived, they called the Oakland Police Department. "We have the deed to the property!" he continued to assure the police and reporters. "It belongs to the Unity Healthcare Workers Corporation, not UHW or SEIU."
Tara Gorewitz, a contract specialist for UHW at Walnut Creek Kaiser, later explained the history of why the building was legally given to the Unity Healthcare Workers Corporation and not to UHW or SEIU. She noted that Shirley Ware, the late Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU UHW- West Local 250, set up the deed in this manner so that the members, rather than the union, could retain rights to use the building in the case of a split.
Joyce maintained, "We've been sleeping in the building 'cuz we knew some intruders were gonna come in." An SEIU rep in a designer pantsuit pleaded with officers to remove the members, telling the officers "They're squatters!"
But SEIU trustee David Regan told the Guardian that the law was on their side and that SEIU was entitled to take control of the building that houses what is essentially a subsidiary of SEIU. “I expect we’ll be in there in the next 20 minutes,” he said by phone in the early afternoon.
For the next two hours, Joyce would continue to utter in disbelief that the police would not recognize the deed in his hands. He maintained that his group could consider leaving the premises if SEIU had a court order. After hours of disputing, the police had ushered out almost all former UHW members but allowed SEIU reps to remain. Joyce declared, "I'm the only one who has the deed with claim to the building, but I'm asked to leave!" Joyce observed with disgrace, "The police are allowing them to change the locks, but they have no court order...a lot of us are minorities, but we're not stupid!"
Tara Gorewitz observed, "If they (SEIU) slay this dragon, the rest of the locals will fall in line...How can they (SEIU) push the Employee Free Choice Act if we don't even have a free choice in our union?"
Across the street from the building, Officer Osanna assured the group that the police were there just to "preserve the peace, to standby, and to make sure there's no violence." He emphasized that they were not taking sides. The Oakland Police Department's Public Affairs Division did not return calls to the Guardian and did not say why they permitted SEIU to kick out the former group.
Sonia, an optician at Kaiser in Martinez, and former UHW member commented to an SEIU rep outside, warning that "the power of the people" would prevail. The rep calmly responded, "We are all trying to do the same thing but we have two different opinions on how to get there."
At this point most people presumed that all former UHW members were removed out onto the sidewalk and several SEIU reps stood inside, guarding the doors with police. Sonia confided to the Guardian reporter that her group thought one of its members was hiding in a room inside.
Minutes later, SEIU reps opened the doors to alert other reps and police that they had just found the member, Jaime Carrillo, locked in a room. A police officer then began to yell at Sonia for having hid her knowledge of this. He called the group untrustworthy as he closed the door to join the SEIU reps in conversation.
The scene came to a conclusion around 2:30pm, as Carrillo walked out, dazed, with two medics who had been called to respond to reports that he had fainted inside. He sat down with the group, explaining that had decided to hide from SEIU reps and police, and that he had indeed fainted. He recalled how the reps treated him when they found him hiding, "They were searching me like I was a felon" and rummaging through his pockets.
The police then left the scene. When asked what the group's next moves would be, Joyce responded pensively, "I don't know."
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Comments (15)
Viva Sal Rosselli! Viva NUHW! Fuck you Andy Stern and SEIU! We're taking our 150,000 members and our contracts with NUHW! Si se puede!
Posted by Marcos | February 3, 2009 06:29 PM
NOT ONLY 150,000 BUT MORE...THIS IS A NATIONAL UNION NOW! BOOOYAOOOo!!!
Posted by Matthew | February 3, 2009 10:58 PM
Member power my a&&! Sal Rosselli is the most UNdemocratic leader I've ever seen. Half of UHW's executive board are STAFFMEMBERS, handpicked by Sal. Yes, that's right, STAFF who proclaim to also be members. The other half are service workers, who do whatever Sal tells them to do. There is NEVER any debate, everyone simply ruberstamps what Sal says. Rosselli's claims against Andy Stern regarding undemoncratic behavior are laughable, considering that Sal himself is more guilty of the charges than Andy is. Sal did whatever it took to increase his power. This is about Sal retaining his own personal power. Nothing more.
Posted by Mary Schmidt | February 4, 2009 11:32 AM
Strategically BRILLIANT to have this very public battle royale as labor is poised to fight for card check!
Unions don't have the reservoir of political capital, to put it lightly, in the minds of the voting public that would enable them to have this very public turf war while asking congress to make it easier to organize.
What worker would want to support card check against GOP onslaught or join a union if alpha males at the top cannot figure out how to settle their differences without a histrionic episode?
-marc
Posted by Marc Salomon | February 4, 2009 12:21 PM
Well its pretty obvious whose arse you've been rimming. I'm an ex eboard member of UHW-West and your comments about sal rosselli could not be further and more directly out of andy stern's dirty playbook. (when all else fails attack the character of the individual)
First and foremost, Rosselli takes input from his members and not the other way around. On key issues, yes, there is not a lot of discussion because it doesn't affect the membership directly, its just housekeeping and uneventful stuff like parking and situational elements of union business.
Your a freekin loon mary schmidt and an all-out-no-holds-barred idiot. Yes, i've committed the unspeakable.
Despite Andy stern and sal rosselli, each having their own personalities, I cannot comment any further. Those of us who are in the know, know exactly who we are dealing with. Those of you who are sitting on the bleachers and judging, are just spectators. This war is not about mega-personalities but rather about gestapo tactics used by big labor unions to crush and stifle dissent.
SEIU's undoing will be it's own achille's heel(UHW-West). We (UHW-West members) built SEIU and are now being evicted from our own home. SInce we built it and are the backbone of labor, we can also tear it down! SEIU has loser for organizers and it is UHW-West that has won campaign's and grown the business of SEIU, despite PR misinformation.
It's an all out unconstitutional raid and police have no authority to enforce evictions, that's the job for the sheriff or marshall. If I wanted to fuck with policeofficers, i would sue them personally and bankrupt their ass's for acting out of jursidiction. There is a remedy for officers acting out of authority, its called martial law!
Time will tell, and in the end, the worker will prevail and gain control of its assets and buildings. This is not the time nor place to die in battle over a delapidated building. However, rest assured that there is due process no matter how long it takes to achieve, we will achieve it.
Posted by michael torres | February 5, 2009 08:28 AM
There are so many fascinating elements to this story.
The major story that is getting overlooked is the history of Stern's handpicked trustee, Dave Regan.
I know Dave Regan. I worked with Dave Regan. Dave Regan is a creep.
Regan is the head of the SEIU Chapter in Ohio. AFter having an extramarital affair with rank and file member, an executive board member actually, he later "demanded" this woman have an abortion.
Once the issue was settled, he plotted to remove her from the executive board of the local.
I think the Guardian and others should dig into the histories of Stern's handpicked successors.
Posted by seiu lover | February 5, 2009 11:04 AM
On Friday,January 30th I went to United Healthcare Workers office at 560 Thomas Berkeley Way Oakland to lend my support for DEMOCRACY as it manifests itself in the takeover of UHW by the Internatinal Union (SEIU) I observed about 15-20 people coming toward us from Telegraph. I along with 5 other citizen supporters blocked the front door. At the time rank & file members were inside to keep the SEIU from a hostile! and illegal takeover of the building. Evidently 4-5 SEIU goons went to the back of the building and using bolt cutters broke in back gate and forced entry to the building. L. Joyce a former executive board member and activist called the Oakland Police dept. about the break-in, trespassing and an assault committed by one of the SEIU International people. The OPD came and in consultation with city attorney evicted (with out legal documents)the members occupying and protecting thier own building. Mr.Joyce had with him the documents of ownership including the deed, which stated the building belongs to the Unity of the healthcare WORKERS! not UHW nor SEIU. Without an injuction members had every right to stay with our building. After explaining to OPD not suprisingly the good ol boys(opd) evicted the owners (Members) and allowed the suits with SEIU to change the locks on all the doors. What a corrupt group of police officers shaking hands with Seiu staff. This is what I would term an OPD sanctioned break-in and support of a now illegal occupation by the SEIU. Again No court order, No notice of eviction, OPD ignoring the legal documents in possession of L. Joyce. It appears once more the city is out of control and control has passed to those outside Oakland who have money and political power. I had an opportunity to speak with, who I now have identified as Dave Reagan I told him that it was very clear that their intentions were not in the best interest of our members and that they are no longer in touch with the working class people they represent. He stated its over! let the courts handle this, well Dave you say its over We say its just begun!!! ...With Liberty and Justice some day.... S. Minor
Posted by S. "Major" Minor and M. Persch | February 6, 2009 05:55 PM
SEIU is nothing but a bunch of thugs! They broke into MY UNION home and stole it from us. They did so with force and malice that broke my heart. They think they can come in and force us to do things their way, but Andy Stern and his goons have another thing coming. THE members of the NOW Deceased UHW are petitioning for a new and definately democratic union called NUHW. THE members should have the RIGHT to vote and have a voice in what happens to their contracts, and their workplaces. Shame on SEIU for tearing labor apart and SHAME again for going after CNA. Andy Stern is the HITLER of the labor movement, when will our elected leaders grow some balls and step in and stop this disgusting mess? I promise all you elected officials that all members of UHW will NEVER FORGET what you didn't do for us.
Posted by tara gorewitz | February 6, 2009 09:49 PM
I too am a former SEIU-UHW E Board Vice President. Andy Stern and Sal Roselli are cut from the same cloth! I could lay my life on a sword for labor, but not for one man be he Andy Stern nor Sal Roselli! I did fight against the trusteeship that was heading our way. I fought for the right to appeal in an un-biased court the UHW story. Where is the appeals process? What Sal Roselli is doing is nothing more than UNION BUSTING!! I am not ok with that! My brothers and sisters of the E Board have called me un-trustworthy, have flat out lied to my friends telling them that I had been fired from my job(not true), and for what? because I dared to hear what someone else had to say? because that someone else happenes to work for the International. that someone else also helped organize my hospital years ago.
I have seen the play Wicked and if you have read the book or seen the play, maybe you can understand how the same story can look very different depending who is telling it.
Posted by One who has seen Wicked | February 7, 2009 06:18 AM
Hey, Tara. Tell us the story of Tyrone Freeman from his perspective. I'm sure we'd all be interested in his side of the story. Start at the place where he becomes Stern's protege and takes over Local 6434 and please include the last election in Local 6434. You know, the one that is being investigated by the Department of Labor. Don't leave anything out.
Posted by Dan Mariscal | February 9, 2009 07:13 PM
My last post was meant for "One who has seen Wicked".
Posted by Dan Mariscal | February 9, 2009 07:16 PM
Ahhh, the Tyrone Freeman story- Well not all piles of stinky fertalizer produce sweet smelling roses and while That pile mentioned above certainly wont smell sweet no matter how his story is told, I don't think the whole of labor needs to be further dammaged because Tyrone Freeman or Sal Roselli or Andy Stern put their own corupt self serving interests above all else. I say build a new and perfect Union, but Sal should have resigned long ago and done that. Not sock away members money and now put members at risk to do it! I started in this fight fighting CHEU. I beleived then and now that ther are plenty of unorganized workers! Go get 'em Sal, and when my contract is open offer me something better at that time. But don't dare break up my contract now!!!
Posted by One who has seen Wicked | February 11, 2009 07:19 AM
If unions are going to advance in this country, they must return to their own roots and abide the laws they have set up for themselves for governance.
They cannot simply become lawless mobs of people ganging up to pursue some momentary fatuous interest, for if they go that path, they will lose their credibility among those whom they purport to represent.
In the instant matter the officers of SEIU UHW lost their way, and set about in a manner that caused the current leader of SEIU to restore the order required of the founding documents of the organization. Any leader faced with similar challenge would need do the same.
Mr. Rosselli was gifted by his parent organization a great responsibilty with jurisdiction over a great number of its members. He betrayed the trust that came with that gift, and despoiled that responsibility. He suffered the same delusion as so many who feel they have become too big to be allowed to fail.
As UHW members allow the dust to settle, and begin to analyse what has occurred, their interests will again merge with that of the greater good, for the best interest of any organization lies not in the sole interest of any individual or personality.
Posted by Ben Samuel | February 12, 2009 06:30 PM
As a hospital worker I have reps from uhw who don't tell us shit like whats the reason we have to pay a percentage to the union instead of a base rate in which we the employee feels we are fit to pay bi-weekly like before all of a sudden without notice we pay percentage, why are some ppl out of the contract but gets everything everyone else gets like seniorty for instance or a raise and trust i work with ppl who are simply staff that does not pay union dues why is it when we talk to uhw reps they seem to have attitudes. I work at Centinela Medical Center which is owned by Prime Health Care and at the time CNA agreed to a 5% raise in which in all common since all other staff such as Resp and lab etc. would get less, Prime Reddy offered retro back to 2007 and a 3% raise to our uhw bargaining team but only for full time and part-time employess, our whole fucking barganing team is Per-diem so of couarse just like the uhw union the selfish bastards look out for theirselves and not the majorty so they turned it down, why does the deticated workers who are full time and part time have to suffer for the per-diem ppl who are only needed sometimes not fair is it well did i mention that our resp department is mainly per-diem and the vice P of uhw is a theripst lol funny selfish bastard only concerned about hisself, I say it's about time someone take a stand against UHW they want nothing more than for us to get a raise so they can take a higher pecentage of union dues becuz as we all can see it's all about the money smh we will get the labor board in on this incident that happen here Prime healthcare Centinela Medical Center will not be A union Hospital get the Union out they are full of shit
Posted by farewell union | February 16, 2009 02:12 AM
Tara and Ben SHAME ON YOU! To "farewell union" I know why you pay a percentage and not flat rate dues and I'm not even a member of your union. Why don't you know??? It's not a secret if you would come to union meetings instead of being lazy and selfish you would know these things. What a Wah, Wah, Wah Whiner!!!
Posted by NoLongerSEIUGirl | February 18, 2009 06:59 PM