A day after 350 healthcare workers in Canada bolted SEIU, approximately 220 county government workers in San Diego, California voted to leave SEIU Local 221 and join the independent Association of San Diego County Employees (ASDCE).
According to this official tally of votes posted on ASDCE’s website, the margin was roughly 60% to 40%. This vote by workers in the Craft Bargaining Unit is the latest in a string of decertifications by dissatisfied SEIU members in San Diego, where SEIU's Eliseo Medina once served as the appointed head of the local union.
Why are workers bolting SEIU? Here’s what ASDCE’s website says. Sound familiar?
The complaints that are voiced are the same over and over again:
No response from SEIU Local 221 to calls
Poor representation
Continual worksite organizer changes
A general feeling that SEIU Local 221 doesn’t care about the members
The Craft employees want more control over their work life, want to feel that their problems and concerns are important and that they deserve to be helped and listened to. With the formation of the Association of San Diego County Employees this will happen. The members will decide how the Association is run, they will have help with problems and their concerns will be addressed. The Association will focus solely on its members and their needs and the members will not be put second to other priorities.
Congratulations, Craft workers!
