Saturday, February 28

Where are they now? Tyrone Freeman.

So did you ever wonder what happened to shameless dues-stealing, cigar-smoking, steak-eating, fired and banned-for-life former Local 6434 President Tyrone Freeman after the LA Times moved on to other corrupt SEIU appointees?

Here's the answer: He became a sports agent! Still in Los Angeles, Tyrone doesn't like to go into too much detail, but tells potential clients...

"I believe my recent personal experience evolving from turmoil, can be a testimony shared in preparing any athlete for the trials and tribulations of being a star."

Ah, the inevitable federal investigations that go with being a star! So is anyone else ready for a career change? Tyrone is here to help.

----------------

Tyrone Freeman, former President of the 190,000-plus member Long-Term Care Workers’ Union, began his tenure in the Labor Movement more than eighteen years ago.

At the age of 21, he led organizing drives in the South where the political culture for a young African-American activist demanded creative organizing. His leadership earned him the role of Executive Director of SEIU Local 1985 in Atlanta in 1994. In 1996, he became the youngest leader in the 90-year history of Service Employees International Union, elected to the International Executive Board.

Since he arrived in Los Angeles in 1999 and accepted the position of General President of ULTCW, he has accomplished a great deal.

In 2000, he was elected Vice President for SEIU International.

By 2001, Tyrone Freeman established a non-profit training center for the community that has secured over a million dollars in grants. The center serves as a healthcare ladder allowing homecare workers to train in the fields of Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Licensed Vocational Nurse, (LVN) and Registered Nurse (RN). It offers computer classes for English and Spanish speaking members, basic skills training, as well as First Aid/CPR and the In Home Support Services Series.

Tyrone Freeman created the Long Term Care Housing Trust Corporation in 2003 that is building affordable luxury homes for union families. In August of 2005, the first two homes in the City of Compton were completed.

In 2004, Tyrone Freeman was inducted to the Board of Directors for the International Foundation of Election Systems (IFES). He also serves on the Prison Industry Board of Directors, the Community Financial Resource Board of Directors and served as Chairman of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles 2005-2008.

Tyrone Freeman spent nearly 10 years of his life transforming labor in California with his tireless commitment to lead the struggle for livable wages, decent housing and health care for all.

I believe my recent personal experience evolving from turmoil, can be a testimony shared in preparing any athlete for the trials and tribulations of being a star.

With this, I am committed to sharing my life story and experience with an athlete committed to hard work, and deserving of the best a team can offer.

B.A. - Sociology/Political Science
B.S.- Business Administration

Friday, February 27

Dave makes himself at home.

It's Greg Pullman Friday, and Perez was going to put a stop to all the politics with something funny, but then thought - to hell with it! let's all just go for some retail therapy! It'll help the economy and Team America, and if it's good enough for Dave Regan...



Dave has been shopping his cold little heart out this past couple of weeks. Perez isn't sure if he's stressed, nesting, or just doesn't know what to do with all this new dues money!

Boss Regan (more Pit Boss than Union Boss?) took over former UHW President Sal Rosselli's old office and apparently the furniture wasn't to his taste. Perez never saw Sal's office, but is interested to see that Dave's tastes tend towards the sleek and modern.

Everyone needs some office supplies, but Dave also needs a leather chair and a three seater leather couch to feel at home (I don't know about you, but if Perez had a three seater couch in his office, he'd nap on it all day!). He also needs a "sit and stand" unit, another chair, and some art that bizarrely, only cost $20 (Perez really wants to know what it is).

Perez is sure members will understand Dave's $2,000 spending spree, even though many UHW members are facing lay-offs, cut-backs, and take-aways in this "difficult" economic climate. After all, you have to spend money to make money, and Dave and his office need to look the part.

Perez also hears that Regan and his team of democracy-fighting heroes are having the UHW office re-painted and having the carpets replaced (while the old carpets were no great shakes, the elected leadership always found other ways to spend members' money, like say, organizing and winning contracts). Perez is unlikely to be visiting the Zombie UHW office (although you never know...), but if he does he will wear sunglasses, as it is certain to be wall-to-wall purple!

(Picture for illustration purposes only, not actual Dave or couch. Your union boss may vary.)

Three weeks in Californiraq...

Perez readers wrote in to repond to yesterday's "About to blow?" post. One says:

"Current half-life up here is three weeks.
The first week, you're frustrated.
The second week, you're depressed. There's no way out. You can't leave.
The third week, you'll do anything to get out of here. You'll do ANYTHING. You can guess what that means..."

And about one particular case, a reader writes:

"This week in Sacramento has been an interesting case study in one scab's increasingly erratic behavior. Apparently fighting a losing battle is getting to him.

On Monday, Dave Mott was one of 20, Yes, 20 scabs who descended on CHW Mercy San Juan. He was all smiles, attempted to make friends, and promised workers that seiu was here to help.

On Tuesday, chinks started to develop in the armor during his time at CHW Mercy General. While still nice to members, Dave began trying to bait NUHW volunteer staff into a confrontation- most notably organizer Andy Reid, who Dave called "a loser". He also asked how Reid was enjoying unemployment.

By Wednesday, the wheels had fallen completely off by the time Mott arrived at CHW's Woodland Healthcare. With no volunteer staff to challenge, Dave went after shop stewards. When one asked him to leave, Dave responded with "I don't have to leave. I'm allowed to be here. You are the one who isn't supposed to be here!". (Never mind that CHW was actually paying her to be there & that the patients she was caring for were pretty happy she was there). Following that incident, Dave ran into another steward who also challenged his right to be at Woodland. Dave responded by telling her he didn't believe she was on her break time & that he'd report her to management for conducting union business on company time!

Take it from those of us who actually know something about the healthcare industry, Dave- you'd better find a CHW facility with a psych ward tomorrow... You're starting to worry us!"

Unity Rally in the Green Zone!

Perez was partly joking when he suggested that SEIU would hold their "Unity Rally" yesterday behind high security at the Commerce office, but here are the pictures. It's a shame the rally (rally) didn't work out, but at least they were able to have a nice BBQ for staff. Not too many members here (we counted), but they have some balloons.




What a great team!

Are SEIU scab staff bringing private security in attempts to intimidate workers? Looks like it in this case.

"I am an NUHW volunteer organizing homecare workers in San Francisco. On Tuesday Feb 24, I went to a training for homecare workers with a member to gather signatures for a NUHW petition.

As we exited the elevator, a scab member who recognized us said we were not allowed to be there and we needed to leave. We ignored her and stationed ourselves near the door where members where entering. As we collected signatures and dues deauthorization forms, homecare staff scab Clarissa approached us with a beefy white rent-a-cop who reeked of the International. He told us we were not allowed to be in the building and that we needed to leave. I said we would be happy to speak with the Executive Director or building manager but we would not be leaving. He then said Clarissa was the person in charge of the building and that if we didn't leave he would call the cops. We told him that was fine. By this time five members had signed our petition.



A few minutes later the Executive Director came out of her office to see what was happening. The Executive Director lady asked International Fake Cop who he was and what right or authority he had to call the police on us. He said he was there because we were being disruptive and indicated again that Clarissa was his partner in this effort. This was about the time two SFPD arrived on the scene.

The Executive Director lady then ripped into the rent-a-cop and Clarissa in front of the police and us. She said they had no right to determine who was allowed to be in the building or to stop us from doing the work of the union. She said this was a place where people had historically gathered for gathering signatures/petitions and for all she knew, we were there getting signatures for Obama.

At this point the International Fake Security Man back peddled a bit. He said he didn't know what the story was and he had just been hired for 4 days to do security. After a few more minutes of the Executive Director disagreeing with the actions of the UHW scab staff and rent-a-cop, it was decided we would just leave for the day. Juan Antonio and I were happy to follow this request. We thanked the ED lady and cops and left. While we gathered our things outside and prepared to leave, we watched Clarissa and Fake Security man walk one block down the street and back into the UHW office on Mission."

Culling the shark tank.

Perez is genuinely (although not deeply) sorry to hear that SEIU will begin "laying off" managers today. Do they give them purple slips, or the black spot?

Thursday, February 26

About to blow?

Perez hears that there is so much discomfort with the work of the trusteeship, and so many serious and unresolved personal problems among International management in California, that International staff out here are literally placing bets on who will "flip" and who will just FLIP!

Shy and "retiring".

An NUHW volunteer got this autoreply to an email they sent to Mary Ann Collins, who has served for many years as Andy Stern's very own Assistant. Collins is so high up in Stern's clique that she sits on the board of many of SEIU's dozen subsidiaries.

In the autoreply email, Collins announces that she has left SEIU and is now the Deputy Director of Change to Win.

That's funny, because she's here in California working the UHW trusteeship. According to insiders, her name is featured prominently in the organizational flowchart for the trusteed UHW, where she plays a lead role in "HR."

Perez has to ask - does Change to Win know that its Deputy Director is working on the trusteeship of an SEIU local? Would CTW's other member unions consider this an appropriate use of CTW's resources? How many other CTW staffers are assigned to Stern's Californiraq? Maybe SEIU laid off so many of its staff that Stern is having to dip into the CTW ranks?

Anyway, Perez tried to reach Mary Ann Collins at her new CTW office number, but was disappointed to get a recording for a CTW campaigns called "Put Pharmacy First." Could it be that Stern has given her the vital role of dispensing medication to the SEIU scab staff? Perez hears that many of them are having difficulty sleeping...

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Out of Office AutoReply: NY Daily News article
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:49:37 -0500
From: "MaryAnn Collins" MaryAnn.Collins@seiu.org
To: nuhw.update@nuhw.org

Mary Ann Collins has "retired" from SEIU after thirty years with the union! However, she'll remain in the labor movement and connected to SEIU through her work at Change to Win. You may contact her there at:

Mary Ann Collins
Deputy Director
Change to Win
1900 L St NW Suite 900
Washington DC 20036
Maryann.collins@changetowin.org
202 256 5710 (cell)
202 721 6022 (office)

They should send Gerard Butler.

Do SEIU fancy themselves Spartans now? Perez hears that they plan to replace or replenish their dwindling army of staff scabs with 300 member organizers recruited from across the country.

Yet more desperate measures...

Perez hears that out-of-state SEIU scab Miles Granderson got a little wild last Saturday at CHW Dominican Hospital. Perhaps a purple mist descended in front of Miles's eyes, when after two hours of rejection from workers he decided to attack a steward's car while she and her disabled sister sat inside. Here's what another steward at the facility told Perez:

Hello Perez....Thought you might like to know about a incident at our hospital on Saturday involving our new "Rep" from SEIU..who we have no intention of ever letting "rep" us members. His name is Miles Granderson, this is the email we sent to our H.R...

"On Saturday, February 21st, a Rep from SEIU showed up in the cafeteria and spoke with several people. He left the facility at the same time our steward, Rhonda Waldron-Hood left and drove down Soquel.

At a stoplight Miles (the rep) got out of his car in traffic and hit the driver’s side window of Rhonda’s car. Afterward he stood in traffic in front of Rhonda’s car so that she could not move. 911 was called and police showed up at the scene.

I spoke with both Rhonda and Miles on Saturday night and he admitted (much to my surprise) that he did indeed “slap” the car window. Rhonda has expressed to both the police and to me that she is afraid of this guy. As a result, I must pass along this information to HR and Security."

Wednesday, February 25

Don't be mean to Jigme (or he'll run to your boss)!

Cashier in the dietary department at Sutter CPMC, UHW E-Board member, and long-time activist Helen York Jones was just suspended from her job after Jigme Ugen, Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, ran to HR to report that she was mean to him.

Helen told Jigme to get the hell out of her facility, but she also reminded him that when the two of them had met in Puerto Rico he refused to talk to her and so she was now refusing to talk to him.


Perez suspects Jigme just hates to be ignored. Sources say that he is “famed across SEIU for his cute innocent face, and hailed as the smartest dressed organizer”, and can often be heard “waxing philosophical about workers and their need to sacrifice”, but much prefers playing the game and schmoozing to honest conversations with workers. Jigme's organizing style is more like cozy pillow talk than agitation.

And while he’s involved in lots of different causes, Jigme seems to pick and choose what he’s public and proud about. While last year he was seen waving a “Free Tibet” banner on the Golden Bridge, this week he was seen literally hiding inside the UHW office!

You can ask Jigme for career tips, or his opinion on just about anything besides why he’s a scab at 612 812 5846.

Next!

Well that didn't take long! Perez told you he'd let you know what SEIU tried next at Kaiser Santa Clara, and here we are. Reports flooded in today that SEIU sent staffer Ken Krause, and contract specialist Linda Ericson to try their hands where Sam Ogren failed. How do you think they'll do?

One reader says:

"I happened to stumble across them in the cafe when I went to grab lunch in between petition signatures and steward elections. While Ken agreed to work with the worksite stewards and contract specialists, the scab Linda refused to leave our facility and said that she is hoping to be the new santa clara rep as she needs the paycheck. Our rank and file stewards gathered and forced her to leave the building even though she told us she would never leave. Even after security showed up to tell her to leave."

Another says:
"Fresh from the victory of running off SEIU Scab and chronic whiner Sam Ogren, Santa Clara Stewards today discovered that there is an even worse alternative to Sam's weepy and fleeting "representation." SEIU has apparently assigned UHW staff holdover and Mister Magoo look-alike Ken Krause to be the "lead" representative for some undefined part of the Kaiser Division and he's started having meetings with management at Santa Clara.

Ken is famous among Shop Stewards and former UHW staff for making the most of the honor system that governs the day-to-day schedule of a union organizer. Nearly everyone has a story of talking with Ken on the phone during the middle of the day and being confused by the background sounds of dogs barking, doorbells ringing, beer cans opening and televisions blaring in the background. You can call Ken and hear the television in the background at (510) 773-6646."

And yet another says:
"So, we got our new temp Rep. Ken Krause. He had Linda the Contract Specialist from San Fransisco with him. Seems Linda had taken a job with SEIU Trustees as a Rep but has not started yet. they are putting her over the Santa Clara Campus. She claims she took the job because they offered her more money then what she gets paid now and she just couldn't turn it down. So, I said "So you sold out?" She said she has her reasons. I said "So you're a sell out? Money means more to you than right and wrong?" I told her I was sorry she was having a hard time with money but very disappointed she sold out for it."

So how long do you give them?

“SEIU members show strength in numbers in SEIU to win secure retirement with dignity for CHW workers”

That’s the headline Perez is predicting for SEIU’s flyers and press release due out Friday, and Perez thinks it’s going to be quite a stretch!

CHW pension bargaining is happening at Zombie UHW’s Commerce office on Thursday, and SEIU will be lucky if they get five actual CHW workers there to act as a figleaf. Everyone else is boycotting, because they don’t want SEIU to represent them, and they don’t want anything to do with secret deals with CHW bosses.

However, SEIU are calling all staff, and even staff from other locals to show up in Commerce for a "Unity Rally" at noon. It’s sure to be a big production, with plenty of purple and manic stage management. Perez expects that there will be “dozens” there; perhaps even “over a hundred”!

Perez can’t wait to see the pictures and wonders what they’re going to do. Let everyone in one at a time, then march around the compound parking lot inside the ten foot fence? How appropriate.

Obama mocks Andy, Jon Stewart mocks Andy, Perez mocks Andy...

By popular demand, Andy Stern's brief and devastating (Jon Stewart didn't even say his name!) reference on The Daily Show last night...



And here's Andy's account of it all, via his twitter. "Me bold"? "Health Farm"? What?


----

Just finished Newwsmaker interview with USA Today on to whorunsgov.com for WaPoabout
6 hours ago from mobile web

Apparently Jon Steeart covered President Obama's remark about my scarf. May become a political trendabout
11 hours ago from mobile web

Try again. Hilda Solis-the American Dream lives on
about 22 hours ago from mobile web

Solis
about 22 hours ago from mobile web

Solid
about 22 hours ago from mobile web

Hilda Solid. The American Dream lives!
about 22 hours ago from mobile web

Thinking about the budget and how to keep health farm and
11:56 AM yesterday from mobile web

Summit
2:29 PM Feb 23rd from mobile web

President just complimented me on my scarf after my coments at Summota
2:28 PM Feb 23rd from mobile web

health care is a go!
10:54 AM Feb 23rd from mobile web

Then Clean Energy Summot and to Fiscal Summot talking need for good jobs at all 3
9:37 AM Feb 23rd from mobile web

The
9:36 AM Feb 23rd from mobile web

Left presentation at DGA to Gov's
9:35 AM Feb 23rd from mobile web

At National Clean Energy Project breakfast. Lots of ppotential after stimulus to make it real
6:59 AM Feb 23rd from mobile web

Rooting for Slumdog
5:36 PM Feb 22nd from mobile web

voting yes in the Parade poll on free choice. Parade.com\intel
11:30 AM Feb 22nd from web

meeting with the Governors at a DGA dinner. Very efficient
5:30 PM Feb 21st from mobile web

My taxes.
2:18 PM Feb 21st from mobile web

Be bold!
6:14 AM Feb 21st from mobile web

is excited that President begins campaign for health care next week. Me bold!
6:13 AM Feb 21st from mobile web

Blind Item...

This scab UHW staffer's defection came as a surprise to some, but not all. One person who wasn't surprised was the member of another local who saw our scab in the lunch line at the 2008 SEIU convention in San Juan whispering to skunk team leader Josie Mooney about the possibility of a job. Josie's response? "We'll see".

Big Mistake?

Perez thinks that Dave n' Hal badly misjudged the tone of this email, which isn't so subtle with its hints, threats, and final passive-aggressive question...

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dave Reagan and Hal Ruddick" your.chw.team@seiu-uhw.org
Sent: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:49:18 Pacific Standard Time
To: "Dave Reagan and Hal Ruddick"
Subject: A message to CHW stewards from SEIU UHW

Dear SEIU UHW Steward at CHW:

We are writing to you as a steward of SEIU UHW to call upon your leadership as bargaining approaches with CHW over retirement.

Last month SEIU UHW was placed in trusteeship. Although the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and E-Board Members were removed as officers, the elected SEIU UHW bargainers, stewards, COPE chairs, rep chairs, and other member-leaders have an opportunity to continue. We hope you will choose to demonstrate your willingness to serve SEIU UHW and SEIU UHW members and thus sustain your service in the months and years ahead.

The solid SEIU UHW contract that we fought so hard to win and ratified last October remains in effect. It allows for interim bargaining over issues that arise during its more than three-year term. This week, the elected, SEIU UHW rank-and-file bargaining committee for CHW is meeting with CHW management to discuss the allocation of funds to improve retirement and collateral pay.

Attached is a Q&A and bargaining update that may be helpful when informing the members you represent about the issues up for bargaining. We hope and expect that you will use them as positive tools to educate and engage SEIU UHW members in conversation at your worksite.

SEIU UHW bargaining committee members and staff will be reaching out to you and to members at CHW facilities in the coming days to get your input and ideas for bargaining and to talk about the plan to unite behind the bargaining committee to fix the retirement plan and put the money for collateral pay to work for SEIU UHW members.

Feel free to respond to this e-mail or call 866-660-5235 to learn more.

In unity?

Dave Regan, SEIU UHW Trustee
Hal Ruddick, SEIU Deputy Trustee

Tuesday, February 24

How to spin the "layoffs".

Perez wonders how many drafts and edits it took International managers to get the following string of squeamish euphemisms just right...

-----Original Message-----
From: JJ Johnston
Sent: Wed 18/02/2009 15:14
To: JJ Johnston
Subject: Manager Communication

SEIU Managers,

Attached please find some background information and talking points on the reorganization that we are in the process of implementing.

As you all know, Local 2 members have been notified (with 2 exceptions) of the elimination of their positions. The Labor Management Committee is meeting often to work through the placement of these individuals into vacant positions or working through their transitions off SEIU payroll. Although bumping will be the last action that will occur in this process, it is inevitable that some bumping will happen. It makes sense that you are all thinking about this and the possible effect it could have on your departments, however, I caution you to not engage in these discussions or possible bumping scenarios with your local 2 staff. You should also direct all inquiries regarding your vacancies back to the labor management committee. The placement decisions will be made at the table and that is the appropriate forum for these discussions.

Also, rest assured that the committee will discuss any move involving your department with you before it happens.

We are also beginning a similar process with UUR. UUR has been notified that there will be staff reductions in a number of classifications. As this happens, it is again important that we all stay on message about the reorganization and not engage UUR employees in specific talks about their positions at this time. As it becomes necessary, the division leads will be making decisions about necessary discussions.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact Lori Wood.

--------------

BACKGROUND FOR MANAGERS:
SEIU REORGANIZATION UNDER JUSTICE FOR ALL


At the International Convention in June 2008, SEIU members adopted the Justice for All program. As part of the program, our charge as a union is to create a national organizing plan to unite more workers and raise standards for all workers in our industries.

SEIU Local Unions will take on greater responsibility for organizing under Justice for All, and this requires rethinking how the International’s staff and resources are organized to support them. SEIU Divisions and departments were asked to cut their operating budgets by 20 percent for 2009. In January, the IEB approved the Union’s overall budget as reflected by these proposed cuts.

In anticipation of implementing the approved budget, SEIU provided notice to both of our staff unions (UUR and OPEIU Local 2) as required by our collective bargaining agreements that reorganizing our operation could have an impact on bargaining unit members.

International representatives met with Local 2 leaders on February 5 and with UUR leaders on February 6 to begin discussion about reorganization. We discussed efforts being made to ensure that International staff whose departments or positions are being eliminated or restructured have opportunities to fill existing vacancies on International staff, with Local Unions, as part of our Change That Works campaign or in Local 6434 or UHW in California.

International supervisors will be notified before any Local 2 or UUR staff receives a notice of layoff. Any International staff member whose position is being eliminated or restructured will receive four weeks’ notice and will be assigned a counselor to help them assess options for continued employment.

Managers who have questions about the reorganization should contact Lori Wood in SEIU Human Resources at 202-730-7547 or Lori.Wood@seiu.org.

Our nation is in economic turmoil, and together as a union we’re working around the clock to help create an economy that works for all working families. Our hope is to ensure that we avoid layoffs by finding a way for SEIU staff who want to continue working for economic justice to do so. We will provide more information, including responses to frequently asked questions, on a regular basis and welcome your suggestions.

A Reminder.

Perez would just like to remind his readers to keep their Bingo cards handy the next couple of weeks.

If you missed the card, you can get it here.

Fresno scab car chase excitement!

Isn't it amazing what they teach at the WAVE these days? If anyone can identify the friendly SEIU organizers in these pictures, please let Perez know.

"On Saturday, my friend and I, who are both volunteer NUHW footsoldiers, were talking to homecare workers in Fresno, our hometown, when we happened upon a pair of SEIU scab “organizers” just sitting in a parked car in front of a worker’s house—a portly chain-smoking fellow stuffed into the driver’s seat and a woman with short hair (who, according to the reports from various homecare workers who she has visited, is from Detroit) in the passenger seat.

We moved on, and they began to drive up and down the street, slowing to peer at us whenever they passed, which they did about six times. Because they were making their u-turns at the ends of the street, we were able to hop back into our car at the right moment and lose them pretty easily. About an hour later, though, just as we were leaving a neighborhood, we happened upon them again, and the rotund bastard behind the wheel sarcastically waved as he drove past us, as pictured in the attached PICTURE A.

However, immediately after taking he picture, he flipped a quick U and gave chase as we headed down the street. At first, I drove slowly, but he followed closely behind and took every turn I did. Then we cut into a neighborhood and sped up, trying to shake them, but the guy, to his credit, kept up, and what ensued was a slightly harrowing, five-minute, medium-speed car-chase that ended when we pulled up in front of a friend’s house and snapped the rest of the attached pictures. We, unlike SEIU’s scabs, have the advantage of actually belonging to the community we’re organizing.

While taking the photographs, my friend told them to leave us alone. The woman in the passenger seat remained quiet and snapped pictures with her cellphone. The driver said, accusingly, “We know what you’re doing,” as if our red teeshirts and NUHW stickers and buttons were our attempt at a disguise of some sort. Let’s just hope he’s as effective at organizing as he is at choosing relevant sentences to utter. (As one of my fellow NUHW volunteers put it, our response to this guy’s “We know what you’re doing” should have been, “What? Winning?”)

They refused to leave, and they were clearly not going to stop following us, so we simply called the police (one of our least favorite things to do), at which point they departed, but not before waving and saying, “We’ll be seeing you guys again.”

This is how SEIU spends its members’ dues dollars. They hire people to sit in parked cars and to chase people around. Maybe tomorrow they’ll actually get out of the car and talk to a worker or something, though it probably won’t do them much good - it’s well-known that thugs make lousy organizers."

Strange typo?


Perez would love to hear your theories about how this error came to be (it's the signature on a letter from the trustees to a business with a pre-trusteeship relationship with UHW).



So far, the only plausible explanation Perez has heard is that Dennis Rivera (aka Dennis Hickey) was originally to be a trustee of UHW, and in fact even wrote letters to UHW's banks citing his position as trustee.

The theory goes that in the end, Rivera somehow backed out of the job. What could have caused him to change his mind? Did he realize that Andy's "plan to win" in Californiraq is actually just one big fail?

Oh but think about what you missed Dennis! You could have been an even more regular feature on Perez Stern!

Desperate times, preexisting issues?

Perez hears that SEIU "reassigned" (to what?) staffer Mike Brown last week, after he caused a heated debate in a staff meeting by asking if he could "fuck up" any NUHW volunteers he saw.

Mike can be seen near the start of this video, wringing his hands, and telling UHW member Beverly Griffith "I'm on your side, we are as one"!

Monday, February 23

Scab homecare staff start their pecking party...

Perez hears that at last week's SEIU UHW all staff meeting in Oakland, the scab homecare staff breakout degenerated into a pecking party as one slightly bloodied chicken after another competed for the favor of Dave Regan and Debbie Schneider by challenging each other's loyalty to the occupying regime.

After Regan told them that anyone not on the program should, "leave the room now," longtime underachiever Gustavo Corral tried playing capo and interrogated the group on their dedication. Not to be out done, Jaime Sanchez, an even lower achieving rep, spoke out to challenge scab Homecare Director Leon Chow on his loyalty, asking him, "How do we know we can trust you?. At that point, everyone looked at each other and someone whispered, "That's a good question," before Schneider changed the subject.

If it's like this now, imagine how it's going to be once the first homecare units start defecting to NUHW!

So long Sam!

Is it possible that SEIU are granting Perez's wish, and Sam Ogren will no longer have to appear on this site?

Perez hears that Sam is no longer assigned to Kaiser Santa Clara! The Kaiser workers who kept Perez so well updated on his progress are thrilled, and just hoping he won't pop up somewhere else. If he does, you'll read about it here, and if SEIU are misguided enough to think that another scab can succeed where Sam failed, you'll be seeing them here soon too!

Will Krooked Alex have to "Keep on walkin'"?

UHW's Lavender Caucus aren't too happy to be paying the salary of a homophobe like Alex, and they want him gone. No response from SEIU management yet...

February 20, 2009

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Eliseo Medina
Dave Regan
Mary Kay Henry

To International Vice Presidents:

It has been brought to the Lavender Caucus’ attention that Alex Espinoza, SEIU-UHW representative, has made public comments on various websites that condone homophobic behavior and violence against LGBT people. According to SEIU’s Mission Statement, “SEIU is united by belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society. As SEIU purports to be the “leading advocacy organization for working people, it is our responsibility to pursue justice for all people of every race, ethnicity, religion, age, physical ability, gender, gender expression and sexual orientation. We are the standard-bearers in the struggle for social and economic justice.

When Alex aka Krooked raps “keep on walkin’, homo”, he creates a hostile environment for all SEIU-UHW members at his facility as well as those he encounters at labor events. In a period of increased violence towards the LGBT community and the 10th anniversary of Matthew Shepherd’s death, it is inconceivable that a SEIU-UHW representative would participate in such hateful speech as found on the video “Trippin” easily viewed on Youtube. How will SEIU-UHW members go to Alex for support against homophobic managers and bosses when they know of his public raps?

As the trustees for SEIU-UHW and International Executive Vice Presidents, you are responsible for maintaining the high standards and history of our local’s support of LGBT members and the LGBT community. The standard should be no less than our mission statement. Due to the high level of standards SEIU must uphold, we call for the immediate removal of Alex Espinoza. No other method of discipline would be just. We demand a response by February 23, 2009. If Alex is not terminated, we will explore other remedies.

Mary Kay, as a founding member of the Lavender Caucus and the highest ranking LGBT officer in SEIU, we trust you share our outrage at these hateful and offensive remarks and will take immediate action.

Yours in Solidarity,

Lavender Caucus

Tony Aidukas, Co-Chair
Lucila Conde, Co-Chair
Gary Jackson, Co-Chair
Lily Hickman, USW President

cc: Lavender Caucus

Desperate times, desperate measures...

Report by email from an NUHW volunteer.

"At Kaiser Sunset on Friday I was attacked by SEIU 121RN rep Sonya D Jimmons (left) (213 247 4585, jimmonss@seiu121rn.org), who screamed at me and tried to snatch my flyers out of my arms. This was in front of a nurse who had waved me down to ask questions about NUHW. The nurse who witnessed it ran back to the nurses station to get help, yelling "she hit her!". Interestingly the more Sonya screamed at me and Donna (a Kaiser Sunset RN who was with me), the more nurses came up to us to ask how to leave SEIU!

Also, an EVS worker signed the petition while he was out on break but as soon as he went back in Dori Machika and others told him that if he signed the petition, Kaiser would cut his hours.

All SEIU have left are fear tactics."

Sunday, February 22

It's Sunday.

Perez will be back from his nap tomorrow morning!

Saturday, February 21

Brave Guinea Pig.

Perez doesn't usually post news articles, or work on Saturday nights (too busy spying on your fancy dinner party), but he had to make an exception to praise Andy Stern for his generous contribution to the good of the labor movement.

As brave Andy told Evelyn Larrubia at the LA Times, he has decided to put himself and SEIU on the line (risking his own job as well as the jobs of hundreds of staff and thousands of members) to "test the theory that there's no bad publicity".

Andy, Perez salutes you, and is proud to assist in your experiment. Generations of union presidents will look back and benefit from your selfless example.

To Dave Mott - Hello from an old WV comrade

Perez recieved this letter to Dave Mott via email...

Hi Dave,

I was an organizer at West Virginia AFSCME when you were an organizer with 1199. As a green, twenty something year old organizer I was really awed by the work that you and Tom Woodruff did, and often found myself wishing that AFSCME's leadership was as committed as you guys were to building power for workers in West Virginia.

In 2005 I joined the staff of SEIU Local 775. I joined the staff at SEIU for two reasons. One because of the commitment that SEIU had made to growing the labor movement, and two because of the respect that I had always had for the work that was done by 1199 in West Virginia. 775 sent me to the WAVE training that year and I got to see you again. At the time, it was really meaningful to me to have the opportunity to attend the training program that you directed.

Six months later, I joined the staff at SEIU Local 1199NW and stayed there until shortly after the Union Disunity article ran in the SF Weekly. I was so appalled by what I read that I literally cried. I couldn't believe that SEIU (and my former local, 775) would sell out their own members in shameless sweetheart deals. Even more disturbing was the fact that SEIU was willing to declare open season on fragile and helpless elders by discouraging reporting of staff shortages and then promising to lobby for tort reform on behalf of the nursing home industry.

In March of last year, I joined the staff at CNA. Rob McCauley, who you might remember was the lobbyist for West Virginia AFSCME, moved to California a few months later to take a job as a regional political organizer with UHW 250. Rob and I frequently talked about what was going on inside SEIU and wondered where you and Tom stood. Rob always maintained that that you and Tom were probably on the right side of the struggle. I didn't believe that was true. I didn't make sense to me that you would still choose to be employed with SEIU if you were on the right side of this fight.

Tonight I saw the video and blog on PerezStern titled New Song from Dave Mott which confirmed that I was right. I can't say that I was surprised, but I am saddened. You had tremendous talent. It's a shame that you apparently no longer have a soul.

It's funny, in a creepy sort of way, but your work still inspires me. Only now, the commitment is to do anything I can to end the nightmare that SEIU has become. Your members deserved better than this from you Dave.

Lisa Harlow

Is Californiraq the new Siberia?

Perez heard something new this week - that Hal Ruddick, previously featured for his rough day with the CHW Bargaining Committee and his troubled stewardship of his own local's finances (looted by EVP Byron Hobbs to pay his personal expenses), may be laboring here permanently (or until workers throw him out).

Seems his colleagues at home don't want him there any longer. Perez hears that while the local's President, Keith Kelleher, was busy being exploited by Andy Stern as a leading hit man for his California homecare agenda, working other LTC bosses and negotiating for local resources to carry out The International's program, Ruddick was running around trying to make himself look good.

Word is Ruddick was trying to advance the interests of the nursing home members who made up his base in the local at the expense of the larger group of homecare members whom Kelleher had historically represented. Not surprisingly, Kelleher and his loyalists are happy to have Hal far, far away, for a long, long time.

Keep on the lookout for a guest appearance soon from Ruddick's wife, Nina Schulman, another longtime International staff hack!

Friday, February 20

"What if in fact you're just disgusting?"

It's possible that Perez is just posting this to get it out of his head...

This bizarre and eerie little video has been around since before the 2008 SEIU convention. It seemed so appropriate then, but I think it might be losing its relevance fast as the shine wears off Andy and SEIU.

But hey, it's Greg Pullman Day, so now you can get it stuck in your head too!


CLARIFICATION for Josie Summers:

A reader told Perez that after a promising start, it's all been going downhill for UHW scab field rep Josie Summers...

"Before the ink had dried on Andy Stern's trusteeship order, Summers, who had previously had "some problems" and been reassigned, had gotten herself reinstated as Field Rep at CHW Mercy General & CHW Mercy San Juan. Then she assembled her team, getting Sherri Macias and Nick Stanley, (the two stewards who still respect her) hired as lost-time staffers/bodyguards.

But Josie wasn't exactly greeted with open arms at her old hospitals. Turns out that in the couple of months she'd been gone, people had realized that they liked being treated respectfully by a competent rep. By doing just one walk through at each hospital, Josie was able to quickly double the number of decertification petitions signed by workers!

Despite not being the sharpest purple crayon in the box, Josie realized she was in trouble. When her six page fear-mongering flyers, and calls from 916 275 6342 had no effect on the workers, she decided to eliminate the competition. Josie began begging CHW HR to kick NUHW organizers out of the hospitals for giving her "dirty looks". Sadly she couldn't get the boss to do her dirty work for her.

Working her way down a dwindling list of hopeless tactics, Josie told HR that all shop steward meetings were canceled indefinitely, but that didn't work either! The Mercy General and Mercy San Juan stewards asserted their contractual right to eight hours of paid release time, and forced their employer to release them for stewards' council meetings.

Finally, the antics of Josie, Nick, and Sherri (whom workers have begun calling "The Three Stooges") ran headfirst into some good ol' fashioned workplace democracy. Upset by Sherri's support of the SEIU program and sick of her overbearing, heavy handed ways, workers in her department petitioned to recall her as a shop steward.

Here's some CLARIFICATION for you, Josie: You're a scab!"

:(

After NUHW sent out the email at the bottom of this post to SEIU staffers across the US, Patty Ludwikowski, Director of 1199P's Hospital Division, apparently intended to send the message on to Neal Bisno, President of 1199P. How embarrassing that she mistakenly hit the "reply" button! Patty will probably be using a lot more cute :( faces in the future...

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: Re: Thousands From Trusteed CA Local Form Independent Union!
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:46:44 -0800
From: "Patty Ludwikowski" ludwikop@seiuhealthcarepa.org
To: NUHW.Update@NUHW.org
Reply-To: ludwikop@seiuhealthcarepa.org

FYI-I did not respond:) This is very scarey Neal!!! I had a bad feeling reading this before-I am worried about our union!!! :(

Patty Ludwikowski Vice-President for Hospitals SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania ludwikop@seiuhealthcarepa.org 717-238-3030,ext.3183 814-360-1478

---

NUHW.Update@NUHW.org wrote:
From: To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
Subject: Thousands From Trusteed CA Local Form Independent Union!
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:44:24 -0800

Trusteed Workers In California Form Independent Union

As former UHW staff members, we're writing to update you about the trusteeship of UHW as well as healthcare workers' recent founding of a new union here in California.

First, a quick update: On January 27, President Andy Stern imposed a trusteeship on UHW, thereby removing UHW's 100-member Executive Board, suspending its constitution, removing its officers, and appointing out-of-town trustees to run the union. An article from the Daily Labor Report (see below) offers more details and is especially interesting because it includes observations from labor analysts like Kate Bronfenbrenner of Cornell University and Nelson Lichtenstein of the University of California Santa Barbara. Their comments underscore what's been widely understood about the effort to seize control of UHW - that there are no legitimate grounds for trusteeing UHW and that the trusteeship is simply a move by Stern to eliminate his political opponents inside SEIU. In the article, Bronfenbrenner points to the profound contradictions in Stern's stated rationale for the trusteeship (see article below). A second observer calls Stern's action "the height of absurdity." A third calls the former UHW "a model union in many ways... a big, vibrant democratic local which has a policy disagreement with the international."

On January 28, the day after the trusteeship, UHW's 100-member Executive Board voted unanimously to form a new union independent of SEIU - the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). Since then, tens of thousands of workers have flocked to the new union in an unprecedented exodus from SEIU. In just the first week after NUHW's founding, a majority of the workers from more than 100 hospitals and nursing homes signed NLRB certification petitions requesting to leave SEIU so they can join NUHW. These petitions, which were filed with the NLRB, cover more than 25,000 workers and are the largest such filing in California's history. Since then, petitions covering approximately 5,000 more workers have been filed. Workers accomplished this feat without the help of a single paid staff person. Currently, NUHW is an entirely volunteer organization that relies on thousands of dedicated rank-and-file leaders as well as more than 120 former UHW staff who quit their jobs and are volunteering to help build a democratic, member-led union.

The mass exodus of workers from SEIU is a totally predictable response to Stern's actions. For months, UHW members pleaded with Stern to let them continue to govern their own union. More than 125,000 UHW members signed petitions telling Stern not to trustee their local. More than 8,000 protested at SEIU's trusteeship hearings. Staffers assigned to the trusteeship team are now facing the predictable anger of UHW's members. Members are refusing to let out-of-town organizers set foot in their facilities. International officials have had to hire off-duty cops to guard the offices that they forcibly seized from UHW members. SEIU officials hide behind office doors chained shut with heavy locks and guarded by gun-toting officers. For more reports about what's happening inside the trusteeship, go to http://perezstern.blogspot.com (Today's post includes a report from an SEIU staff person assigned to the trusteeship who quit her job.)

Meanwhile, SEIU officials have launched an aggressive campaign to stop workers from leaving SEIU. These SEIU leaders are working with some of California's worst anti-union employers to threaten, suspend and even fire rank-and-file workers who circulate petitions to join NUHW. In the words of one UHW steward: "This is like a very bad marriage. We filed for a divorce. SEIU is like an abusive husband who's trying to stop us from going." Meanwhile, each day UHW members are filing more and more certification petitions and are insisting that SEIU officials respect their decision.

For more information, please go to www.nuhw.org. Feel free to write us at this email with questions and information. If you don't want to receive future emails, please reply with an email that says "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Here's the article from the Daily Labor Report: BNA Daily Labor Report January 29, 2009 FORMER LEADERS OF UHW LOCAL QUIT SEIU, PLAN TO FORM NEW HEALTH CARE WORKERS UNION

Is Dennis Rivera cursed?

For years, SEIU has been trying to flex its muscles, flash its money, and flaunt its purple prowess (sounds like a blind item I'm writing) in an effort to declare itself the national union for RNs. RNs, most of whom want a union that is genuinely concerned about patient care, committed to advancing their profession, and dedicated to confronting the abuses of corporate medicine, have mostly seen through the purple smokescreen and sent SEIU's yuppie-carreerist organizing corps packing.

But knowing the numbers, the dues, and the political prestige RNs would bring, SEIU kept up the not-so-good fight. Last year they founded their make-believe "National Healthcare Union" with a multi-million-dollar extravaganza in Baltimore ("Purple, white and gold confetti was blown from cannons. Flags were waving. Everyone was singing. Cameras were flashing and a line of about 200 people began doing the electric slide"), and launched the "Value Care, Value Nurses" campaign (known to many as "Value Nurse, ValuJet"). Both productions were designed specifically to help Dennis Rivera (seen here with Jesse Jackson and David Snow, CEO of Medco) court the United American Nurses for a long-sought "affiliation".

This Wednesday the UAN announced that they have affiliated, but with CNA-NNOC, not SEIU. There's now a national RN union and it is most definitely not SEIU, but rather includes and elevates their harshest critics!

Look on the bright side SEIU, at least you don't have to pretend to care about patient care anymore!

Thursday, February 19

Story from a former rank-and-file member, now former UHW staffer.

I am a former UHW Convalescent Division Rep and Kaiser Rank and File Member who was "released from probation" after I found and loudly confronted three "organizers" from SEIU sitting in the lobby of the Alameda Extended Stay America that I was staying at (otherwise known as my home away from home).

I questioned the staffers about how they could sleep at night and chastised them for ignoring the members voices, for refusing our petitions and for forgetting that the members ARE the union and our members will never allow a top down dictatorship to silence their voices and take away our democratic member driven union! After watching their faces fall when I told supposed rank and file member from Michigan Healthcare, Norma Kirsteen, that the rank & file members of UHW will never change their minds and will not be led by any money grubbing power gobbling appointees (as she should know about first hand since Rickman Jackson, the former president of Michigan Healthcare was an appointee directly linked to the corruption in SEIU Local 6434). I received a round of applause and cheers from the crowd in the lobby!

Norma attempted to make some comment about their president not stealing millions of dollars from the members but not before I cut her off and told her she must of course be speaking about Tyrone Freeman... Thief and APPOINTEE!

This confrontation was noted across the top of my SEIU "assessment" during the one and only interview I had prior to my "release", which occured on January 29th.

Oh, and did I mention that SEIU checked every single staffer out of the Extended Stay Alameda on January 30th, the day following the confrontation? Apparently the SEIU Staffers were very concerned that UHW Members would leaflet their doors and or harrass them... Little did they know that was only a taste of what's to come!

We, the members of this union are going to show them exactly what can happen when the members unite and stand together... We re-build our bottom up, member led union and we make history!

Krissi MacKay

Please make it stop!

Perez really didn't want to write about Sam Ogren again, but he's still here and still scabbing, so there's no avoiding it.

Poor Sam (turn around Sam, there's the exit!) is still not breaking through at Kaiser, and now he's reaching out for support to the very workers whose union he's trying to bust.

Sam told workers that they should go easy on him, because SEIU only assigned two staffers to Kaiser in Northern California (lost cause?), and Sam's partner on the campaign broke down last week and left. Last time Sam left the Santa Clara campus he was shaking himself. He must really believe in what he's doing to keep coming back.

Perez can only think of two ways to avoid having to write about Sam Ogren again, either Sam starts sending Perez stuff that's more interesting than he is, or he just goes home!

SEIU: Where anything goes, as long as it's Andy's idea.


Remember how just three weeks ago, SEIU placed UHW in trusteeship for refusing to divide 65,000 homecare and nursing home workers from Kaiser and hospital workers against their will, without a fair election, and without any plan to improve things for them or the people they care for?

Remember how SEIU needed to move all California homecare and nursing home workers into a separate, statewide long term care union, because only then could they have the political voice necessary to take on the Governor's proposed budget cuts?


Well scratch that! Looks like the separate, statewide long term care union just won't sell with the tens of thousands of homecare workers fleeing SEIU and joining NUHW. Never mind, no one will notice a total 180 right? It's just workers we're talking about here...


Here's SEIU's new mailer to Fresno County homecare workers. It claims that workers' achievements were possible because, "we were united together in UHW" and that homecare workers can win more, "by staying united in UHW."

Yes, you read that correctly - SEIU, which placed UHW in trusteeship for insisting that homecare and nursing home workers stay united in UHW, is now campaigning for homecare workers to...STAY UNITED IN UHW!

And let's just try to forget the million of dollars of dues money, and hundreds of staffers now mired in a losing war based on a false premise instead of working on EFCA, winning healthcare reform, or defending SEIU members from budget cuts across the country...

Even for SEIU, this is pretty incredible.

Wednesday, February 18

See you later SEIU...



Former staff say goodbye to zombie "Closed for member questions" UHW, as they head over to the NUHW office to pick up where they left off!

Cass Gualvez: Now with 100% more scab!

Cass Gualvez used to be a coordinator at UHW in Los Angeles. She was a little high-strung, and very particular about her coffee, but everything was peachy as long as she had organizers to wait on her every need, and Amado David and her husband Greg Maron to take care of her.

When Greg and Amado were gone from UHW, Cass hung on sadly for a couple of months and then quit. She wound up working with Scott Courtney on his extra-special International team, and last Perez heard, Courtney was keeping his staff away from Californiraq.

Something must have changed, because it appears that Cass Gualvez is now in charge of fighting rank-and-file workers at the Sutter hospitals. Last week, when she came upon worker leaders berating her scab organizers at Alta-Bates Summit Medical Center, an NUHW volunteer approached Cass and said, "You're a scab." To which she replied, "You don't know the half of it."

The volunteer says, "She looked scared".

Perez can be reached at the usual address with the other half of it, or if you don't know either, you can ask Cass at 510 499 8249.

"A better product to the members"



Here's an excellent video from SEIU that's just a little longer than the average call to the Pasadena MRC, and explains why call centers are innovative, exciting, and a good way to stop members whining all the time.

Mike Fishman, President of 32BJ says "forget about what we have now" (no thanks Mike), and talks about restructuring to "match what's happening in the industry".

An unnamed rep who describes being initially skeptical, but now just looks resigned, says that working at the call center lets him focus on just one aspect of his previous job. "When you're comfortable knowing what's expected of you, it helps you deliver a better product to the members". The call centers seem like happy places, where staff are permitted to keep a small selection of approved personal items at their workstations.

Everyone is very enthusiastic and the video features several brand new banners. The New York call center is described in a way that sounds like it's open 24 hours, but listening closely, it's actually that you can call 24 hours, leave a message and someone will get back to you. The Pasadena center is open 8am to 4pm, but hopes to expand hours to 7am to 7pm, and then to 24 hours a day!

And here's Annelle Grajeda (who Perez has missed the past few months) explaining how Local 721 doesn't "want to die as a union because of the same old problems". Problems like corruption perhaps? Annelle wants time to be "more creative" and to "partner with our employers". She hopes the new call center will take 721 "that last step" to having a strong organizing culture.

You get to see the Pasadena call center operated by 721 where Jonathan Chow tried to find someone to talk to, and where call center staff try to help members from merged locals across the whole of California (and that's a source of pride). In one shot (left) you can see the big screen Perez previously mentioned, but not what it says. Perhaps it was off that day?

Enjoy. Maybe you can watch it while you're on hold!



Update and clarification sent by a reader:

The call center in Pasadena at (877) 721 4YOU doesn't take calls from UHW members. Only public sector members.

If you are a UHW member you will be asked to call (323) 888 8471 and will them be transferred to (866) 660 5253 which is out of the Ferguson (Commerce/Los Angeles) office. There you will encounter one of 6-10 pleasant scab operators like the lovely SEIU lost timer on vacation from Washington who surely "believes in what I am doing" and assures UHW members that they will one day "get to vote on things."

If you have a workplace issue such as a grievance, or you're just scared of Caroline Gilkey, your concerns will be entered onto an intake form which will then be sent, via trained falcon, to a representative.

Blind Item...

About which Northern California assigned SEIU staffer did Perez hear the following?

"He was fired from his local after he went off on the president. She had promised him she'd hire his wife for a top job, but changed her mind and instead hired her sister to fill that roll. He freaked out and she fired him. He is all about the money. At his local the budget was always tight, and at one staff meeting, the staff and officers were talking about how they were willing to take a cut to help out the local financially. At this point, he began yelling that he was going to get his money. Everyone else could take a hit for the local, but he wasn't going to sacrifice a penny.

He has a HOT temper and is prone to yelling and freaking out when he gets mad. It's also easy to push his buttons or to bait him into flying into a rage. Additionally, he loves to smoke weed and frequently did so with members. He was also a known womanizer who had sex with co-workers and members alike. He also has a felony conviction from the early 90's in a west coast state."

Tuesday, February 17

1199NW send their support!


On February 6, staff at 1199NW sent this letter to the Fund for Union Democracy pledging their solidarity and making a donation. As a local, 1199NW have decided that they will not send staff to fight UHW members. Principled (and smart!) people.

----

To our Sisters and Brothers:

For years, UHW-West has been a shining example of an SEIU local that has fought against worker injustice while holding highly democratic principles.

They've inspired us with their achievements in:
-- Bargaining contracts with high standards in wages, benefits, and staffing
-- Involving members in all aspects of organizing, bargaining, and politics
-- Organizing tens of thousands of new members into the labor movement

Therefore, as a staff union of organizers and support staff, we are greatly saddened and concerned abut the trusteeship of UHW-Weest. It is alarming to us that a local union would be attacked and dismantled for defending democratic trade unionist principles, such as the members' right to a fair vote to decide with which local union they will belong.

We support the decision of out SEIU Healthcare 1199NW President Diane Sosne not to send our staff to California to participate in the trusteeship of one of SEIU's best locals.

In the light of this historic stifling of dissent in our national union, and the enormous shift of resources away from what should be our real fight, our staff union membership has overwhelmingly voted to make a contribution of $4500 to the Fund for Union Democracy. We will encourage others to do the same.

In solidarity
Robin Wyss
President

Circling the wagons...

A Perez reader wrote to say that he believes the layoffs at The International (which we previously heard were not going in seniority order as layoffs usually do), are not financially motivated (as many staff had thought) but political.

His belief is that all the “laid off” positions will be filled with Stern loyalists, whatever department they’re in, with SEIU being much more careful to chose the right carefully-vetted people than to fill the slots right away. The same process will apply to staffing UHW, and other California positions, and would presumably continue until the whole organization was connected to Stern and loyal to him, with sharing his ideas much less important than personal relationships and obligations.

In giving an example of the hiring process, he describes the vague phone calls a friend got, that tested her by refusing to specify a place or assignment before she gave a solid commitment.

He believes that the goal is to build a union where as many top and mid-level staff as possible are personal friends of (preferably recently elected) IEB members, to keep things much tighter and more “on message”, and says: “Most of the people making the calls are actually recently elected board members, who can be trusted.” He also believes that SEIU are now deliberately trying to hire largely from outside the labor movement altogether (which would fit with the recent choice of Sharon Frances Moore for Local 221, and Democrat bloggers for senior roles in the communications department). Seems as if SEIU don’t want to take any more chances hiring people with their own ideas about what a union should be.

He also believes that because SEIU are sending as many loyal key staff as possible to California, many or most of the post-election accountability campaigns are suffering and ineffective. Perez has heard from others recently that “Change that Works” is dead in the water because they’ve lost so many staff to the California union busting campaign.

Perez’s correspondent also says: “I have heard that there are whispers that there may not be as much money as they thought after blowing their collective wad on the election last year. There were also some bizarre expenditures (iphones for research staff, etc) that would definitely raise member eyebrows.” Just the time to be throwing whatever remaining “wad” you have at a fight in California which your own leadership described as “like Iraq”!

Monday, February 16

There's a pattern developing here!

Perez heard that last week another scab staff member, Chris Pacheco, went to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, where he was confronted by an NUHW volunteer organizer.

The source says:
"What did he do? Did he give her a witty response? Did he give a plausible reason why he compromises any principles? No, he ran off to Human Resources (just like Sam Ogren and Elma Maynard) and got the HR director to come tell her to leave the building. Guess he fits right in with SEIU. Got a problem? Ask the boss to fix it for you. Talk about a lack of self-respect!"

A reader adds:
"Chris Pacheco told a steward at Washington today that he was going to be an executive vice president of seiu-uhw. She laughed at him."

Meeting and travelling for Andy Stern.

While SEIU may lay off much of the Meetings and Travel Department at their DC HQ, there's probably one staffer who'll be keeping her job: Anne Pfrimmer. Why? She's Andy Stern's personal scheduler, and for her hard work, Stern recently appointed her the deputy trustee of SEIU Local 6434. On December 23 2008, he put out an "Amended Trustesship (sic) Order" naming her to the post.



How does her work as scheduler qualify her to manage the affairs of one of the nation's largest SEIU locals? Good question. So far as Perez knows, her labor experience consists of working in SEIU's DC headquarters for the past five years. She's never worked for a local union, never represented workers, never taken part in an organizing drive, never negotiated contracts, never done boss relations, never grappled with state funding and long-term care policy issues, never been a healthcare worker. She has been very close to Andy, and solely accountable to him.

It's really surprising to Perez that UHW long-term care workers made such a fuss about being forced into Local 6434 when Stern demonstrates such a commitment to finding experienced and independent leadership for the local! First he props up Tyrone Freeman while Freeman steals more than a million dollars from members, then he appoints his personal scheduler as the deputy trustee.

Maybe Anne can schedule Andy some time to answer questions from California long-term care workers who want to know what the hell he thinks he's doing.

What IS this?

You might be forgiven for thinking it's an "UNDERMINING UHW MEMBERS' UNION STAFF INCIDENT REPORT", but it's actually yet more evidence of the crazy parallel universe SEIU now inhabits. This form is so amazing it should probably have its own blog.

This document comes from an imaginary world where the staff are the union, and their job is to protect the union from members. Perez is unclear who this form is to report (current staff? members?), but it's encouraging that the things listed are happening often enough that SEIU needs a form for them! Mind you, SEIU seem to think they're running a for-profit high school swarming with overzealous hall monitors - pay COPE or you might get a demerit from Flannery Hauck - so they probably have a form for everything.

And last but not least, look carefully at the check boxes. SEIU are now accepting "INCIDENT REPORTS" from bosses! Does it get any weirder or any worse? Is it even legal?

Well you guys better make sure you have sharp Number 2 pencils at the ready, Perez thinks you're going to have some less-fun forms to fill out soon!

(Note: Perez thinks the unintelligible line at the bottom says "Attach written witness statements, leaflets, cards, petitions, etc if available")

Even more on the cutting room floor!

So why, after taking down their staff meeting video soon after Perez posted it, did SEIU upload it again on Sunday with some minor changes?

Some sections were moved around, and some extra staff names were added (thank you), but the most notable change is that the new and improved version is about 40 seconds shorter. What's gone? These little pieces of Mary Kay Henry's speech...

"Here's what's key from my perspective, the Southern California rank and file leadership is going to lead this state back to unity and it is going to be with your help that those members reclaim this union and say "No..."

"I'm highly privileged to be here to help Keisha as a deputy trustee and you kind of rebuild and restore"


Perez is wondering why.

Bait and switch.

Off camera, SEIU International managers aren't so inspirational. The UHW employee who sent this report quit at the end of the day, feeling she had no other option.

"Neneki Lee just called from 202 257 4952, and said I needed to report to work by 3pm to make calls and if I didn't, she would write me up for insubordination. I said I was confused because I had already reported in to work today at 10am as she directed and then was sent home.

She said now my assignment was for 3pm and would I be there? I said I had already been there. She asked again if I would be coming in and I asked if I could leave at 5pm for child care responsibilities. She paused and said no. The assignment was from 3-6 and if I didn't show I would be reported as insubordinate. I asked why I was directed to report in at 10am if the shift was from 3-6pm. She said I could file my grievance after completing my shift. She asked if I had an email address so she could put her request in writing. I said no. She then restated that I need to be in at 3pm to phone bank and I would be written up if I didn't, told me to have a nice day and hung up on me."

Sunday, February 15

Review - TENTEN Wilshire Suites.

"Designed to accommodate the dynamic lifestyle of today's business professionals", TENTEN Wilshire is a corporate housing solution (like a long-stay hotel) apparently recommended by SEIU and new UHW Kaiser division director Amado David. Even though he already has one home at 8941 Gibson Street in Los Angeles, David chooses to lay his head at TENTEN - praise indeed!

Rates at TENTEN Wilshire range from $3,102 per month for a studio with a 12 month lease, to $10,225 for a 16th floor penthouse if you choose to pay month-to-month.

This review has a lot of pictures, but Perez hopes you'll find it worth the load time. Pictures kindly sent by a reader from Downtown Los Angeles.

"Sophisticated architecture and elegant interior design meet creature comforts like fine linens, stainless steel appliances and panoramic views in each of the meticulously planned, fully furnished suites. No matter how short or long your stay, TENTEN has everything you need to live comfortably."
Every suite enjoys Premium cable and high speed internet package, and is equipped with a sleek hardwood desk and an ergonomic chair comfortable enough for you to take calls, Photoshop yourself into great historical photographs, and read gossip blogs 24 hours a day.
Suites at TENTEN have beautifully appointed king size beds, which might help you sleep at night, and individual thermostats for optimum cooling should you start to sweat. Outsourced non-union workers provide custom housekeeping services.
Bathrooms include all towels, bathrobes and slippers, and a toiletries starter kit. Large mirrors allow you to see your uncombed hair, and spacious counter tops are fitted with raised basins where you can wash your hands over and over.
Mosaic tile showers have waterfall heads, so you can get squeaky clean, or just sit down with your thoughts.
Bathrooms are even equipped with flat screen televisions, so you can watch your friends and boss be taken to jail while you brush your teeth and listen for the knock at your door.
Every unit has a washer and dryer, so you can try to keep your dirty laundry private.
And each floor has a trash room with chute, for anything you should need to dispose of at any time of day or night.
From the award winning rooftop, guests can enjoy stunning panoramic views of Los Angeles. You could come up to the roof for a swim or just to end it all. The terrace is complete with a full private gym, sauna and steam rooms, movie screening room, fire pits and bbq areas.
And on the ground floor, guests enjoy the use of a spacious business center, for all those meetings with people you'd rather not have come to the office. If you do choose to venture out (perhaps to nearby Good Samaritan hospital) you have the option of a Luxury car with professional driver.
Parking with valet service is on the lower levels.
It is mostly secure.
Perez hears that Mr. David recommends the Deluxe suite, number 607, at $3,412 to $4,368 per month, but Perez is unsure how long he plans to stay. Mr. David might be able to give you a more detailed review of TENTEN at 310 815 9542 or 213 216 5350 (cell).

Sunday posts.

There will only be one (other) post on Perez Stern today, it should be up around 7pm. Perez thinks it's a good one!

Saturday, February 14

The Val-entines Day Massacre 2009

Perez hears that on Saturday afternoon, Val Tagawa, a Local 521 staff person who has told workers she volunteered to staff the trusteeship, along with two other scab staffers visited O'Connor Hospital in San Jose to meet with workers there. It's safe to say the O'Connor stewards weren't showing her any Valentine's Day love.

Val, who was not intoxicated during the meeting, tried to assert SEIU's legal requirement to bargain for OCH workers, to "represent" them in the hospital, and to help build the Union. The workers were having none of it. One steward pointed out that the Daughters of Charity (who own O'Connor Hospital) employ the same union-busting attorney with whom SEIU apparently cut a secret deal on subcontracting during Tenet negotiations. "Knowing that, why would we trust you?" the workers asked.

In her attempts to run an orderly meeting, Val repeatedly asked Dietary Department Steward Hasnija Harris (known to most NUHW members as "Hasnija from Bosnia), to lower her voice. But Hasnija told Val, "SEIU is worse than the dictators I grew up under. I immigrated to this country for democracy, and I'll be damned if I let you take it away from me."

Despite repeated requests from OCH workers, Val refused to give them her phone number... maybe she lost her phone in a bar bathroom last night and knows they won't reach her anyway.

So after 90 minutes of being berated for offering her "help", she finally committed to letting the "higher-ups" know that Daughters of Charity workers don't want their contract bargained by SEIU and don't want her representing them.

Happy Valentines Day, Val! If you want some "hair of the dog" in the morning, the OCH workers have much more to offer you.

Unlucky day for Hal n' Dave at Friday the 13th CHW meeting...

A member of the CHW bargaining team sent Perez this picture and writes:

"Here's a pic of Hal Ruddick trying to convince CHW bargaining team members that the contract is closed. I did a short video recording, after a while Hal insisted that I stop recording as Dave Regan said I would post it on you tube! The bargaining team held a democratic vote to keep recording! Many of us wore red in solidarity with our NUHW. We were loud and clear about our disappointment with Andy Stern.

Oh yeah, there's new rules to be part of a bargaining team: no decert petitions, no deauthorization of union dues or cope. Also Regan was not real clear of when we would be able to vote on our new leadership, perhaps by three years..."

Perez also heard that SEIU tried to run the meeting exactly to their plan, but it didn't work out that way when members started asking questions about the deals signed with CHW bosses and about Hal's connection to the corruption at his home local in Chicago...

Dave and Hal tried to convince members that the contract was a done deal (and that they had no way to join NUHW) without really saying so. They produced a document signed between SEIU and CHW on January 28 that looked very official but didn't seem to say the contract was closed. Hal then got very slippery, saying that no one in the room was a lawyer and it was up to the NLRB to decide.

Dave tried to play good cop, and tried to earn member's trust until he lost his cool. Then he went on a rant about "corporate America", and how members wanting to join NUHW were "destroying the dreams" of other workers! Perez hears that at one point he threw a pen across the room! Hal just focused on defending himself, getting into a long debate about the corruption in Chicago and trying to distance himself from it.

Members told Hal and Dave that they weren't happy to see the same reps who'd told them one thing days before the trusteeship back telling them the opposite just days after, while staff who stuck by UHW's program of democracy were fired. Carolyn Gilkey looked devastated, and after the meeting begged members for forgiveness, but they told her they'd rather just not see her again.

Creepily, Regan said that while International management had rehired many reps after "a rigorous process", they were going to revisit their decisions given the "feedback" today.

Another member who was at the meeting reports:
"I was there as well, it felt like I was going into an armed camp that was occupied by the enemy. When I drove up the gate was closed and I was asked why was I here. I stated that I was here for a meeting, they asked which, I told them it was for CHW. At that point I was let in.

One of the first thing I noticed was there was a web cam pointed at the registration table. After signing in we were "buzzed" into the building. Funny we never had to do that before. It was sad and disheartening to see the staff that stayed on with seiu such as Herbert Fregia, Carolyn Gilkey and Lorena Vellanoweth, who was a rank and file member at California Hospital who helped organize her facility. Lorena should be ashamed of herself, she is a sellout. I have never been more disappointed in someone I thought I could trust.

One other thing I noticed was the Caucasian men in light green suits throughout the building coming out of what was labeled the "Security Office" and the yahoo at the front gate in a cowboy hat and duster. I wonder who is paying for that and why is it necessary to have them on site. We the former UHW never had to have them. Also forgot to mention that jackass Amado David was in the building."

And another member adds:
"It was pretty clear that the International's interest was not member related but dues dollar related. They made it clear that having members revoke their COPE dollars and members having the employer discontinue taking the dues monies out of their payroll would HURT the union. We made it clear that our members are intelligent enough decide who gets their COPE and Dues monies and how it should be spent. Definitely not against their own members.

I asked Dave Regan what the plan was for the 65,000 UHW members that are being moved to the new state-wide long-term union(as the Labor community is aware, we were placed into Trusteeship because we violated the international constitution and by-laws, because we wanted a democratic vote of the membership as to their choice, not the IEB). Big surprise, he said at this time their is NO PLAN.

The only thing the international has accomplished is to validate what we have been saying all along. They are a business union, back door deals, and more corruption. Bottom line, we have spoken, our members have the right to choose their union. Andy Stern is a hypocrite. If he is THE big advocate for the EFCA, why are union members in California the exception to the rule. I'll tell you why, it's big business. Maybe he thinks one day he'll own part of the Amalgamated Bank (see UniteHere conflicts)"

"They're just not that into you!"

This blast from the past is hoping for another chance at love (he even has his pad set up all nice). Here's a years old Kaiser flyer warning stewards to kick him to the curb, but he just can't stay away. This lil' puppy dog grew up to be the new Kaiser director in the South. Can you tell who it is?

Apparently, he has a vendetta against Sal Rosselli left over from supporting the losing 250 leadership slate in the 80's. Pining, he returned to California with the trusteeship team that took over 399 in the 90's to enjoy a brief honeymoon.

So now he's back like a moth to a flame, even after getting his wings singed at his cameo appearance as the International's star witness at the trusteeship hearings, where he got a little flustered when asked if he'd previously been fired for incompetence.

Amazing how little he's changed - all we really need to do to this flyer is update "his master" to Andy Stern, change "250" to "NUHW", and make his hair a whole lot messier!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Despite all the hostility and union busting, there's a lot of love in this situation - love between UHW members and the former UHW staff who've worked alongside them for years, and are still standing with them to build a real union. Here's a report Perez got yesterday:

"20 or so former UHW staff were at the LA office to return our "UHW" stuff. When we got there, there was a booth set up but they were not ready for us. We waited in the rain for over 30 minutes and we were locked outside the gate. The CHW bargaining team had a meeting inside the building. The members saw us and they couldn't believe this is how SEIU treats their staff."

The woman in purple yelling in this video is International staffer Sandra Gonzales Castro.



"This video was when Karen Bee did a quick "Keepin' It Real" (search YouTube for more of the UHW member democracy show) as she drove by us."



"We also took pictures of SEIU's off-duty cops and non-union security guards, former UHW staff who are scabs, like Paul Matakiewicz (behind bush) and Josie Summers (bottom row), and other scabs from the International, like Dana Hohn (with camera) and Sandra Gonzales."


Friday, February 13

Flannery and Mary Katherine - Separated at birth?

It's "stop with the politics" Friday everyone! Or should we call it "Greg Pullman Day" in his honor? If anyone wants to thank Greg for beginning this great tradition, he can be reached at 408 821 8715.

This week, the lighter side of Perez (God knows we all need something to cheer us up after this post) brings you:



Flannery Hauck (left) and Mary Katherine Gallagher from Superstar! Separated at birth?

Perez is tired of Sam Ogren - think how Kaiser workers must feel!

A reader tells Perez:
"Sam Ogren lasted 45 mins in the Kaiser Hayward steward council yesterday. Poor Sam got offended by Mell Garcia, Rep Chair and Lead Steward, when she laughed at her friend's joke. Assuming she was laughing at him, Sam flipped out and left. By the way, he showed up 4 hours late and was told by the Steward Council he had to wait. He got impatient by 2:30pm as he had finished perusing the bookstore downstairs...and threatened their stewardship if he didn't get access to the meeting."

On the cutting room floor...

Not shown in the love-in video Perez posted earlier: The part where Elma Maynard announced that she had joined forces with HR to get a member in trouble and how thrilled HR was to have her working with them against a member.

A reader adds:
"Members aren't just "getting in trouble". One long time steward was actually fired after her boss called the trustees about her circulating a petition. SEIU must have given her boss the green light, because when there's a real union around, firing a steward for union activity is usually a bad idea."

Perez is struggling not to use all-caps for this post.

Friday the 13th update on International staff layoffs...

A Perez reader wrote to say that she heard that SEIU will be laying off around 12 to 24 members of OPEIU Local 2 (office based staff from the Washington DC HQ), and that most will be from accounting and meetings & travel.

Some managers will also be laid off, as well as the Organizer 1's, and Grade 3 community and political organizers (what is Grade 3?), and also International union reps (staff who assist locals on Anna Berger's internal team).

The reader had heard nothing about communications or research staff, although suspects that since there is a huge amount of attrition in communications, they probably just won't fill open positions.

Have any readers at The International lost their jobs so far?

You filmed your staff meeting and put it on the internet?





That's a really weird thing to do! Do you guys even understand how weird?

(Perez is not sure what happened to the video, but it seems to be back up here.)

However, it's just about the best metaphor Perez has ever seen for The International, where no one seems to understand the difference between a rally of united workers and a damn staff meeting, and one can substitute for the other just fine.

Here's how to make your own at home: Hold an all-day staff meeting where staff want to keep their jobs and make themselves and each other feel better. Add plenty of International managers doing the good cop/bad cop routine and setting "EXPECTATIONS". Then add in a couple of workers so the managers can close their eyes and nod their heads. Film the whole thing from multiple angles (hey, it's just dues money).

Now, here's the important part! Edit seven hours down to seven minutes!

It's a good beginner video editing project, so in the interests of developing the skills of the SEIU members and staff who read Perez, we'd like to invite SEIU to release the entire day's footage (please send the video from the Oakland meeting too) so talented Perez readers can use it to tell their own stories about what's going on at UHW.

Oh, and Mary Kay, you're a manager, not a motivational speaker. No amount of editing is going to change that!

Big Ballin', Shot Callin'

Perez received the following on Thursday, via email through a time warp from the 1970's!

"SEIU scab staff, Richard Rubio-Bowley (650 225 2726), is living the celebrity dream! Today, Richard, always the social climber within the union whose title outshone his ability years ago, rolled up with an entourage of 3 body guards in dark sunglasses to escort him into a nursing home of approximately 50 workers.

He'd already tried to bar the former UHW rep from entering the facility. Given that she's 24 and weighs 120 lbs. soaking wet, one could see the need for 3 thuggish body guards. When the same rep tried to enter the break area and ask for a fair debate about the merits of SEIU vs. NUHW, he said that he'd be right outside to do that. After waiting for 30 minutes, naively thinking that any word a scab says is not a lie, this rep walked in to discover that Richard was having the meeting he really wanted: alone, behind closed doors with the boss.

Almost forgot that after the SEIU Neanderthal body guard wouldn't let this rep into the break area, Richard, realizing the absurdity of the measures he's taking against unwanted paparazzi, stated that the only reason for his "Krew" was that he was getting harassing phone calls."

What is Perez Stern?

SEIU staff and officers think they can hide in the dark. Already in their hostile takeover of UHW they've injured members, held boss-style captive audience meetings for staff, and refused to give us their names.

Andy Stern and his appointees love to think they're rich, famous, powerful, and accountable to no one. A member led union just doesn't fit in with their plans for stardom! They like to drive around in SUVs with tinted windows, acting like they (literally) own the place.

So if they want to be famous, let's help them! If you're an SEIU member or employee, tell Perez what the SEIU trustees and appointees are up to, and help them feel just like Paris Hilton.

If you have a story or pictures for Perez, email him at perezstern@gmail.com We promise to respect your anonymity, but we encourage you to use your real name if you can.

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