UHW to Hold New Delegate Election for SEIU Convention

Will take every step to maximize member participation.

OAKLAND, Calif. – United Healthcare Workers-West announced Tuesday it will re-run an election to choose delegates to send to this year’s Service Employees International Union convention in Puerto Rico.

Press Release [PDF]

Based on the size of its membership, UHW is entitled to send 146 members to the June convention, which is held every four years. Approximately two-thirds of the UHW delegation to the convention is made up of the executive board -- about 100 rank-and-file members and staff officers who are directly elected by the membership. Because of the heightened importance of this year’s gathering and the critical nature of the issues that are expected to be discussed and decided, UHW’s executive board decided to send the largest possible contingent of members.

Accordingly, UHW held elections for the remaining one-third of delegate slots, opening up eligibility to thousands of stewards, who are directly elected by their co-workers. At past conventions, where less debate was expected, UHW seated only its executive board.

“Our intent was to expand our representation at the convention and involve more members in the process. SEIU has pointed out that we could and should be even more inclusive and we appreciate the opportunity to do so,” said Helen York-Jones, a food service worker at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and a member of election committee. “All SEIU members, in UHW and every other local, deserve the right to have their voices heard and we’re dedicated to making that happen.”

UHW’s delegation is going to the SEIU convention with a series of constitutional changes that would make SEIU function in a more democratic fashion, including the right for members to directly elect international officers, guarantees that rank-and-file members will be directly involved in bargaining their contracts and other democratic reforms. UHW’s Platform for Change and its proposed constitutional amendments can be viewed at www.seiuvoice.org.

The 150,000-member SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West is the largest and fastest-growing hospital and healthcare union in the western United States and represents every type of healthcare worker, including nurses, professional, technical and service classifications. Our mission is to achieve high-quality healthcare for all.