SEIU-UHW’s Doug Jones Does Face-Plant No. 2

Ever wonder what would happen to SEIU if they had to compete in honest elections? Well, check out this email from a reader in the San Francisco Bay Area. It describes what happened to Dave Regan and Co. when they couldn’t rig the election for a position at the Alameda County Central Labor Council.

For the last few months, SEIU-UHW staffer Doug Jones has been demanding a seat on the Executive Board of the Alameda County Labor Council, one of the most influential in the state. Jones didn't endear himself when he attacked California Nurses Association member Martha Kuhl, who is the Labor Council's Vice President. Back in the days of Local 250, Jones would have been a shoo-in. [A Tip to Tasty's Readers: before 2005, SEIU-UHW was called “Local 250.”] Local 250 always had a spot and was one of the most active and respected unions in the council. Not anymore. When a vacancy occurred last month, Dougie immediately threw his hat in the ring. Certain delegates recruited a member of a small chapter of the School Employees Association to run for the spot.

At Monday nights delegate meeting, there was an unusually heavy turnout. On a per capita vote, and with the backing of other SEIU Locals, who make up 30% of the council, our boy Doug LOST by a 2-to-1 margin. Almost every other union in the council showed up to register their disgust at SEIU-UHW's tactics. Support for NUHW in the Council is only growing. Doug didn't even bother to show up for his own election, which was probably a good thing. Several delegates were heard to exclaim that this probably meant that SEIU-UHW would quit the Council (again) and that it would be good riddance to bad rubbish.

Good riddance, Dougie!

SEIU Staffer Does Face Plant

Looks like SEIU’s trusteeship staffers have gotten so used to loyalty oaths and witch hunts that they’re now trying to export them to outside organizations. Check out this story from a reader:

Martha Kuhl is a longtime leader of the California Nurses Association at Children’s Hospital of Oakland, where she’s been an oncology nurse for 29 years. According to a reader, Martha “had the temerity to sign a letter of support for NUHW.” It’s not too hard to imagine why Martha mighta signed the letter. After all, since SEIU’s trusteeship, Regan & Co. has allowed Children’s Hospital to cut SEIU members’ health benefits… which the hospital is now trying to force down the RNs’ throats.

And SEIU refused to support two separate strikes by the RNs to fight off SEIU's cuts. And, of course, there’s SEIU’s chronic democracy deficit… including Regan's outrageous efforts to block SEIU members’ election for 2 ½ years.

Even so… Dave Regan was apparently super pissed that Martha signed the letter, so he assigned SEIU’s top political operative, Doug Jones, to try to get the Alameda County Central Labor Council to launch an "ethics trial" against Kuhl, who just happens to be the Labor Council’s Vice President. What was Martha’s heinous ethics violation? She, along with other RNs at her hospital, signed a letter of support for NUHW!

Well, as you can imagine, Dave’s move went down like a fart in a spacesuit. In fact, Tasty can almost picture the scene: “All those in favor of launching an ethics trial against Vice President Martha Kuhl, please say ‘Aye’…”

After picking himself up off the floor, Doug Jones launched SEIU’s next genius idea: trying to get the Labor Council to sign a letter of support for SEIU-UHW. The only problem was that Doug, who employed Dave Regan's skills of finesse and subtle persuasion, kinda messed up on executing the plan. First, Doug personally attacked Martha Kuhl when she wasn't even present (which didn't impress others on the Labor Council, who kinda like Martha). And next, he threatened several times that SEIU-UHW would quit the Labor Council (again) if SEIU didn't get their way. No dice, said the Labor Council.

After Doug scraped himself up off the floor (again), the Labor Council sent poor Dougie back to SEIU’s offices with his tail between his legs. Tasty hears he was quickly enrolled in Triana Silton’s latest class on “How to Conduct Effective Witch Hunts against Workers Inside and Outside Your Union (Part 2).” Hopefully, this will restore some of Dougie’s fading confidence. Tasty can’t wait for his next move!