Statement on Kaiser Union Election in Southern California
Oakland, CA - Following the announcement of the union election results for Kaiser Permanente nurses, psych-social workers, and professionals in Southern California, Steve Trossman, communications director of the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW), issued the following statement: (Tasty's note: What? No members in an SEIU press release? Shocker!)
"While today's election results are disappointing, the fact is only about 2,600 SEIU-UHW members have chosen NUHW over the past year, in contrast to more than 55,000 SEIU members who have chosen to stay united in our union. (Tasty's note: Trossman doesn't know what 'chosen' means.)
"What's more, NUHW is seeking to stop union elections for nearly 5,000 hospital, nursing home, and home care members at 42 facilities because they know if the elections take place they will lose. Although the National Labor Relations Board, SEIU-UHW, and several of the employers have all agreed to election dates in early February, NUHW has refused to enter into the agreements. (Tasty's note: puh-lease.)
"The bulk of SEIU-UHW's 50,000 Kaiser members are now launching the largest and most active contract campaign in history with the full support of the union's 150,000 California health care members. SEIU-UHW members at Kaiser are also part of the 100,000-member Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, and expect to be at the bargaining table this spring as part of the coalition to negotiate a new national agreement. (Tasty's note: yay, Kaiser workers, your contract is almost open! Time to join the SoCal pros!)
"Meanwhile, NUHW has put these workers at grave risk because they will no longer be part of the Kaiser coalition and will have to try to bargain a contract on their own."
