Hundreds of outraged workers gathered at UHW’s Oakland headquarters Thursday to protest escalating attempts by SEIU’s Washington officials to subvert democracy, centralize power and silence their voices in relationships with employers. The nursing home, hospital and homecare workers were loud and clear, determined to retain control of their local union and offer their full support for UHW’s elected leaders.
A recent letter from SEIU President Andy Stern, which makes false allegations against UHW’s officers, is widely seen as a retaliatory threat of takeover designed to chill vocal critics. Workers at the press conference denounced this most recent example in a long list of actions taken by SEIU DC leaders to thwart union democracy with top-down, corporate leadership style and centralization of power far away from the influence of rank-and-file workers.
Martha Vazquez, radiology technician at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton
“When you get down to the heart of the matter, what’s happening here is a fundamental disagreement about what’s happening in the labor movement. We believe the best way to grow and protect our workers is to give our workers even a greater say in their workplace and in their unions.”
“I’m so tired of hearing this is a struggle between two leaders… This is about the members. This is about us maintaining democracy.”
Xiao Jiang Lai, San Francisco homecare worker
“These statements are designed to fool the media and the public. Read his letter. Every paragraph starts with ‘it is alleged, it is alleged, it is alleged.’ Let me tell you what ‘alleged’ means. It means Andy Stern does not have any facts.”
“We are a democratic union. Members vote for their bargaining teams. We vote to accept every contract, and we vote for who represents us. And we are not about to let the SEIU International and Andy Stern tell us differently.”
Mildred Brown, West Contra Costa homecare worker
“It is us, the members of UHW, that are fighting against Andy Stern. We are the ones who have worked for years, struggling to build a powerful, unified, democratic union that works to make sure that our voices – our workers’ voices, our members’ voices – are heard.”
Ruby Guzman, CNA at Creekside Healthcare Center in San Pablo
“Andy Stern sold us out, meeting with nursing home employers behind our backs, actually barring UHW members and staff from participating in direct negotiations.”
Angela Glasper, Optical Receptionist at Kaiser Hospital in Martinez
“When UHW members were bargaining with Tenet Healthcare, Andy Stern tried to rig the unity council election, threatening to take away our members’ right to strike for seven years in exchange for lower standards that our UHW members were not willing to accept.”
“Our fight today, brothers and sisters, is about democracy – union democracy.”
