Lilly Vallee, a long time SEIU healthcare organizer, is in LA desperately trying to woo Kaiser RNs to support Zombie UHW. She and the president of the SEIU Nurse Alliance entered Kaiser Sunset yesterday with the express goal of meeting particular RN leaders and stewards, especially the former chapter president of the AFN, an ICU RN.
Kaiser RNs were members of AFN, an RN chapter of SEIU Local 535. Those nurses were moved into UHW through Andy Stern's reorganization of California SEIU locals in 2007. They previously had their own internal organization and leadership structure.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lilly said that SEIU was there to "really find out what you want." (Whoa! Tasty can not remember a time when SEIU cared about what the members want! If that were true, it would be an actual Christmas miracle.)
Then things took a turn for the strange: Lilly actually offered to facilitate a move to the CNA, UNAC, and/or an independent union-if only the RNs would vote for Zombie UHW in this election. That's right, Lilly basically said 'If you hate us, that's cool, we will give you to anyone you want except NUHW.'
At this point the former chapter President said, "Our relationship with SEIU is like a domestic violence situation. Every time after we get abused and start to leave, the spouse swears he'll be different and that he's changed. Then the cycle starts all over again. We've been doing this for 20 years and it's time to do what one should always do in these situations, it's time to end the relationship."
The cracks were visible, if only for a few seconds, in Lilly's plastic smile, but she recovered quickly and encouraged the nurses to call if anything changed or they "had any questions."
This is potentially the most pathetic ploy the Zombies have used yet.
