SF Chronicle front page: SEIU threatens takeover of critical local to silence debate and workers' voices

From http://www.sfgate.com, Thursday, March 27, 2008

by Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

The president of one of the nation's largest labor unions moved this week toward ousting the leaders of its West Coast affiliate, in a power struggle that could affect hundreds of thousands of California workers and the state's strained health care industry.

Andy Stern, president of the Washington-headquartered Service Employees International Union, sent a letter on Monday - obtained by The Chronicle - that alleges misconduct by Sal Rosselli, president of the Oakland-based United Healthcare Workers West, who has been Stern's most vocal critic.

Rosselli and other leaders of the union - which has 150,000 members, many of them in the Bay Area - said the allegations appear to be a prelude to a trusteeship, under which Stern would replace the union's elected leaders with his own appointees.

The battle between Stern and Rosselli is being closely watched by all of SEIU's 600,000 California members and could have long-term effects on how the labor movement organizes, elects its leaders and negotiates contracts nationwide. It also could have a seismic impact in the health care industry, where Rosselli's union remains a potent political and economic force.

The labor leaders have clashed in recent months over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's failed health care plan (Stern backed it, Rosselli opposed it); over the union's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama; over Stern's efforts to reorganize SEIU's California unions; and over bargaining tactics with hospitals, nursing homes and other employers.

Rosselli insists Stern is seeking to oust him for his outspoken views. Last month, Rosselli resigned from SEIU's executive committee after accusing Stern of consolidating power in the hands of his allies while marginalizing other elected leaders. He also alleges that Stern has cut deals with corporate leaders to grow SEIU's rolls at the expense of current members' contracts.

"It's retaliatory because we are speaking out against his ideology, his direction," Rosselli said. "The simplest way I can say it is, it's top-down versus bottom-up, corporate unionism versus social unionism."