Here’s an interesting development that
underscores the declining political power of SEIU-UHW and the rising strength of NUHW.
Readers may recall that SEIU-UHW
and its president, Dave Regan, have been repeatedly criticized
for using California’s ballot system to cut sweetheart deals with the California
Hospital Association that sell out consumers and workers.
In local elections,
Regan has joined
hands with the Chamber of Commerce to attack progressive candidates.
Well... check out the latest chapter in this story.
Next year, the Golden State will
elect a new governor to replace Jerry Brown, who will be termed out of office.
Candidates for the governor’s office -- including the state’s Lieutenant
Governor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the former mayor
of Los Angeles -- are criss-crossing the nation’s most populous state to build support for their campaigns.
In October, SEIU-UHW and NUHW each held
their annual “Leadership Conferences” of stewards and rank-and-file leaders.
NUHW
pulled off a coup by organizing the four leading gubernatorial candidates to
conduct their first-ever debate at NUHW’s leadership conference in Anaheim. Here's a link to a video of the debate.
NUHW’s debate drew
reporters from across the state and got more than 100 new stories in the state’s
largest newspapers, TV stations, etc. NUHW also live-streamed the debate to voters
across the state, which featured questions about the candidates' support for a single-payer health system.
What about SEIU-UHW?
Nada.
Stay tuned!
