Three of SEIU-UHW's shop stewards were suspended from their jobs at a Kaiser hospital in Northern California after harassing, threatening and assaulting rank-and-file workers and an NUHW staffer, according to sources.
So far, the three stewards -- Jennie Edney, Ella Henderson and Tina Anderson -- have been out of work for two weeks while investigations continue at Kaiser Vallejo Medical Center.
Apparently, Kaiser officials were dragging their feet on the investigation until a federal agency launched its own inquiry into SEIU-UHW's use of threats and assaults against its own members. That's when Kaiser officials finally decided they had to make a show of enforcing the rules against their Purple Partners. Sources tell Tasty that the three stewards will likely be terminated. Others may follow.
So who else is involved in the threats and violence? Apparently, SEIU-UHW Contract Specialist Ollie Anderson and Field Rep. Justine Fout are "neck deep" in the scandal. And nearly two dozen other SEIU-UHW shop stewards reportedly participated in one of the violent incidents.
Of course, SEIU-UHW's use of threats and violence against its members is not new. SEIU-UHW's Dave Regan reportedly tells staffers and shop stewards to use threats, "shout downs," harassment, etc against workers who happen to disagree with SEIU and Regan.
Last month, the California Public Employment Relations Board issued a complaint against SEIU-UHW for threatening and assaulting homecare workers during a union election in Fresno, California.
And in 2010, three separate Superior Court judges issued restraining orders against SEIU-UHW Field Rep. Tiffany Ford after she threatened to kill a Kaiser employee inside a Kaiser hospital.
Labor legend Dolores Huerta described her experiences with SEIU's tactics in this video, which includes footage of SEIU-UHW staffer Angela Hewett beating her fists on tables inside a Kaiser cafeteria.
Stay tuned for more developments. Tasty hears that the three suspended stewards are renowned for bullying their co-workers.
