Neal's Norms.

What's the next step when workers want to form a union? Card check recognition? An NLRB run vote? Neal Bisno at 1199P doesn't seem to think so. He'd rather have a big meeting for staff and managers, where they all decide "together" whether staff need a union. Seems like proof all by itself that they desperately do!

Like any good nursing home boss, Neal thinks his facility is one big happy family, and it's up to staff to keep it that way by staying quiet about his union-busting.

The giant captive is scheduled for April 30th, meanwhile the anti-union campaign is on, and the emails are flying thick and fast in attempts to back the pro-union staff into a corner. Here's an email management found the time to send out while they were apparently too busy to respond to letters from the staff union...


From: Kim Patterson pattersk@seiuhealthcarepa.org
Date: Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Subject: [seiuhealthcarepa-staff] Perez Stern Posting Re: Staff Union
To: staff allstaff@seiuhealthcarepa.org


To All Staff:

The recent posting of a vicious attack on several dedicated SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania organizers on an anti-SEIU website, including an unauthorized photograph of one of them, has shocked many of us across the union and represents one of the lowest points in our union's recent history. It is obvious that the information that was used to craft this disgraceful posting came from inside our local union. It is deeply troubling that anyone inside our staff would do such a thing as part of their effort to achieve their desired outcome, and that they have thus far failed to come forward to take responsibility for their actions.

As officers, it was our belief and expectation that in the weeks between the March 6th meeting and the all staff meeting, everyone would honor the decisions made by the staff and engage in a civil, respectful discussion, consistent with our Values and Norms Commitment and in the best traditions of our union. While most staff have done so, the actions of some have threatened to tear down the hard work done by members and staff over many years to build a strong, united union. When dedicated organizers of our union are being slanderously attacked on the internet as scabs because of their position on the CWA/staff union effort, the person(s) responsible for this attack are not only profoundly insulting their colleagues but in fact threatening the important work we all do on behalf of our members We can expect the ManorCares and UPMCs of the world to use this posting against health care workers struggling to form a union for many years to come.

As officers, we take our responsibility to protect our union's unity and integrity very seriously. We want to express our collective outrage at the Perez Stern posting, our extreme disappointment that anyone inside our staff would be associated with such an action, and our solidarity and support for the individual staff members who were targeted. Furthermore, we want to emphasize in the strongest possible terms that as this process moves forward, all staff will be expected to adhere to our union's Values and Norms Commitment.

If you would like to discuss this issue with any of us, please give us a call or e-mail.

In solidarity,

SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania Officers

Neal Bisno, President
Kim Patterson, Secretary-Treasurer
Jesse Wilderman, Executive Vice President
Kati Sipp, Executive Vice President
Stephanie Haynes, Vice President, State Health Professionals
Kevin Hefty, Vice President, Long Term
Matt Yarnell, Vice President
Zach Zobrist, Vice President

Kim Patterson
Secretary Treasurer
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
Phone: 717-238-3030, extension 3117
Fax: 717-238-8354
pattersk@seiuhealthcarepa.org
www.seiuhealthcarepa.org

"Change your thoughts - and Change your world"
-Norman Vincent Peale

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Oh, and Robin, that picture doesn't come from an Obama event, it comes from the staff meeting video that SEIU posted on YouTube!