Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sometimes it seems like SEIU must be stoned...

Maybe they are! According to the New York Times, SEIU decided this week to support legalization of marijuana in California. "The measure, known as Proposition, 19 would legalize, regulate and tax the sale of marijuana. It has been promoted as a way to raise money for the financially beleaguered state..."

This is the plan for the public sector locals? SEIU makes the locals send money and staff to fight Kaiser workers, and then their plan for balancing the budget--and saving the thousands of public sector jobs that are at risk--is legalizing pot?

If Tasty were a SEIU city, county or state member...Tasty would not be impressed. In fact, Local 721 has HALF OF THEIR STAFF ON THE UHW FIGHT. 721 members need to hope their boss doesn't find out that the union is totally out of lunch.

Apparently, neither are the members of SEIU Local 221...from an email by Marty Kroopin who is running a reform slate against (SEIU's choosen candidate for SEIU 221 President) Eric Banks:

Our own Local 221 Union Hall staff have been "drafted" by the SEIU International headquarters officials in Washington, DC, to join the massive campaign to convince Kaiser workers to stay in SEIU and NOT vote to join the break-away union (see article below). Local 221 is short staffed already, and members are already hurting from our Worksite Organizers (Union Hall reps) having to serve more than 2000 of us members to every one Union Hall rep! The ratio SHOULD be more like 3 reps to each 2000 of us members.

No matter what we think about which candidates or which party SEIU is backing in the November general elections, this "drafting" of our Union Hall reps to do work on the Kaiser campaign -- OUTSIDE of serving us members -- is an outrageous raid on OUR local union dues funds and OUR Union Hall staff. We members of Local 221 did NOT vote to authorize this abuse of our union dues money. The incumbent President, Eric Banks, and the incumbent Executive Board SHOULD have voted "NO" and stopped the reassignment of our Union Hall staff to this Kaiser election campaign.

Maybe Richard Griffin came up with this plan...