Kaiser Workers; Lied to in a mailing! While, I never!

A note from a Kasier worker:

Last Thursday, August 19th, my colleagues and I were given the opportunity to meet with, and ask questions of Sal Rosselli, who was visiting our Kaiser Santa Rosa campus that day. My friend and I wandered over to find a group, mostly supporters, gathered around. We were able to ask a few questions of our own, and were satisfied with the answers we received. Shortly thereafter, there appeared one Janet Wooten, (left) Unit Assistant, along with sidekick, who remained silent throughout, Tonya Salcido, Medical Assistant. Janet, looking angst-filled, and as though she were about to break into tears at any moment, discussed her fears and concerns about her partnership with Kaiser and the Union. I'm surmising that her intent was no doubt to monopolize Sal's limited time with us, so as to prevent others from getting a word in edgewise. Obviously, the two were SEIU plants.

Well, lo and behold, yesterday, there appeared in my mailbox, yet another almost daily, member-paid-for flier from SEIU with a picture of the two of them next to a quote, "NUHW president Sal Rosselli finally leveled with us and confirmed that if NUHW is elected, we have no guarantees. He will have to take us back to the bargaining table and hope Kaiser will not take away what we've already locked in with SEIU-UHW."

I was there, and he said no such thing. This is disgusting and reprehensible behavior on the part of the SEIU, but unfortunately, I think the worst is yet to come.

Oh, Kaiser workers...here comes the BS.

Meet Renee Sebeny, Pound for Pound the Most Expensive Zombie

Some Zombies are reluctant to come to California and fight the members here...but for some Zombies money talks.

Take, for instance, the case of one Renee Sebeny. Renee has been organizing healthcare workers in Southern California on and off for years. She has come and gone from SEIU a few times...doing such revolutionary things like 'going to business school.' But she is back to try to salvage the sinking ship that is Zombie UHW.

So why is she back? Tasty hears that she told SEIU--It's $120,000/yr or nothin.'

And she got it! Tasty salutes Renee's self-serving bargaining skillz.

No single staff member or elected official at the "old" UHW made close to that! It certainly is a new world at Zombie UHW.

It's Funny When Zombies Forget Their Orders and Tell the Truth.

Like Keisha did!

Silly Zombies, you aren't supposed to say things like this!

This the 2nd time Keisha has been "off program." Tasty bets they've got their eye on her!

SEIU Refuses to Debate NUHW--Thus We Have #75!

Yesterday, SEIU-UHW shop steward Kelly Richardson announced she's resigning her SEIU steward position so she can support NUHW in the Kaiser election. Kelly works in the call center at Kaiser Los Angeles Medical Center, where workers asked SEIU to debate NUHW on the issues. NUHW agreed, but (you guessed it) SEIU refused.

After seeing SEIU's approach to workers (i.e., lies, shout-downs and bullying), Kelly resigned her position. "It’s time for the rhetoric to end. I personally challenged SEIU to debate NUHW to discuss facts. NUHW has been willing to discuss facts. Let’s see if SEIU can do the same, instead of shouting and yelling. We want facts.”

In a list that Letterman would love, workers asked SEIU to answer these questions:

1. With so many SEIU staff here, why can't we get grievances processed or find anyone when we need representation?

2. Why are managers letting SEIU interrupt our work, while they try to stop us from talking to NUHW supporters?

3. Why is SEIU allowing management to subcontract in Dietary?

4. Why didn’t SEIU tell us their contract had a health benefits takeaway committee?

5. Why is SEIU threatening we'll lose our benefits when federal law says all our raises and benefits stay the same?

6. Why do workers at LAMC make 15% less than workers at Kaiser Fresno, and why isn't SEIU doing anything about that?

7. Why does SEIU charge us 25% more dues than NUHW just to send all the extra to Washington, D.C.?

Heads SHOULD Roll, But Probably Won't.

Check out today's Pleasanton Weekly article on the firings at Piedmont/Grand Lake Gardens. It's worth a read, but here is the key part:

"It's been the law since 1938," Durham (ABHOW company attorney David Durham) said, "that employers can hire permanent or temporary replacements."

Durham said the workers are on a preferential list to be called back to work as openings occur.

Among the 38 fired workers are a couple, Johnny Lee, who's been with ABHOW for 30 years and his wife, Linda, who's been with the company 10 years.

Tasty really feels for the fired workers, like Johnny and Linda Lee who are mentioned above. They trusted their union, and the staff totally failed them--with devastating results. Who pays that family's mortgage now?

It is really embarrassing for SEIU that the boss can genuinely say "It's been the law since 1938."

Vu Update.

No wonder this guy is an unprofessional smart ass to workers, here is his online resume:

Vu Nguyen’s Experience

• Organizer

  SEIU 5 AZ

  October 2008 — Present (1 year 11 months)

• Lead Organizer

  Houston Organization of Public Employees

  October 2006 — August 2008 (1 year 11 months)

  Kicked ass!

• Lead Oganizer

  AFSCME Local 3299

  December 2002 — September 2006 (3 years 10 months)

  Kicked ass!

• Organizer

  AFSCME International

  September 2001 — November 2002 (1 year 3 months)

  Baltimore was good. DC has good Ethioian food.

• Project Organizer

  SEIU Local 399 (UHW)

  March 2000 — August 2000 (6 months)

  Hospitals

• Organizer

  HERE Local 11

  January 1997 — March 2000 (3 years 3 months)

  Learned a lot.

If he kicked so much ass why did he leave? And check out his enthusiasm for Local 399 healthcare workers! I guess he didn't kick that much ass.

Talking Shit, Indeed.

Recently, San Francisco's CPMC eliminated positions in the kitchens at three campuses and cut certain positions down from 8 hours per day to 4 hours per day. Many of those affected primarily are long term, 20 year employees. These employees were told to bid on positions in other departments -- positions that never were posted, so people in those departments already can't bid on them.

Under SEIU's leadership nothing has been in writing and nothing has been formally explained in a meeting or anything. Its a mess.

On Tuesday, workers at the CPMC California campus confronted SEIU Zombie Vu Nguyen (pictured, in a facebook shot he titled "Talking Shit") in the cafeteria. They asked him why there wasn't a "re-bid" to deal with these changes fairly in a way that respects seniority. When they demanded details of what's happened in the secret meetings with management, Vu responded, "I don't have to tell you... I don't work for you." (Note to Vu: You do work for the members.)

The CPMC crew was not impressed.

When they asked for a copy of the contract and he said, "You don't deserve the contract." (For real. Not making that up. He actually said that to a group of members.)

Just another example of the caliber of staff SEIU is hiring--both smug, nasty and dumb. Not Tasty's favorite combo...