Friday, September 17, 2010

109!!!

Check out this letter from Kaiser Richmond (former SEIU-UHW) Shop Steward Fred Manuel!

______________________________________


ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

When does a union stop being a union?

I was elected by my co-workers to be a steward in the
Richmond Lab in May of this year. Since that time, it has
become clear that the priority of SEIU-UHW is not the well
being of its Kaiser members. Time after time, they have made
it abundantly clear that their focus is not where it should be:

• SEIU –UHW staff who schedule trainings for stewards and
then fail to show up;

• SEIU – UHW staff who promise to provide copies of our contract for the members and
then fail month after month to deliver those contracts; and

• SEIU – UHW staff who tell the stewards that it is their job to get members to wear pro
SEIU-UHW stickers, but who fail to provide the support necessary to handle everyday
grievances and work-site issues.

They have not allowed me to do the job my co-workers elected me to do – making sure that
we enforce the contract and insure that no harm comes to our co-workers.

A union stops being a union when those who run the union put their personal interests
before those of the members – those who pay their salaries. SEIU-UHW is no longer my
union – that is why I have chosen to resign my position as shop steward.

Please join me in voting for NUHW – a union of the members, a union by the members,
and a union for the members.

In Unity,

Fred Manuel,
former Shop Steward, PM Shift
Richmond Lab