The Service Employees International Union filed suit today against arch rival California Nurses Association in the two group’s ongoing and nasty dispute over labor practices.

The two unions have been at odds over recruiting and organizing tactics for nurses and the fracas devolved into a shoving match at a labor conference in Michigan and unwelcome visits by SEIU representatives to the homes of California CNA leaders.

Unless national union leaders step in and broker some of deal between these warring factions, this fight will play out in California courtroom.

Click here for CNA’s specific web site on the dispute.

Read on for SEIU’s latest press release and a link to its dedicated web site on the matter:

Read the rest of this entry »

The Service Employees International Union will ask a judge to dismiss a temporary restraining order requested by the California Nurses Association, calling the nurses’ charges of harassment unfounded and politically motivated.

A Superior Court judge in Alameda County issued the TRO late Tuesday, and ordered a hearing for all parties on May 1.

The unions are locked in an ugly battle stemming from a fight over membership organizing in Ohio hospitals and a nasty, physical confrontation at a Michigan labor conference.

CNA chief Rose Ann DeMoro of Walnut Creek says SEIU sent 200 people to California to intimidate and harass her members. Some visited the homes of some of her association’s leaders and frightened them, DeMoro said. (See my blog entry yesterday for CNA’s press release.)

DeMoro said she has been forced to cancel two appearances under threat of SEIU protests and has had to take precautions to protect her personal safety.

Read more for SEIU’s press release issued a few minutes ago:
Read the rest of this entry »

The California Nurses Association, led by Rose Ann DeMoro of Walnut Creek, has obtained a temporary restraining order against the Service Employees International Union in what has become a highly contentious battle between the two unions.

The nurses group contends that SEIU is harassing, stalking and intimidating nurses in roughly a dozen California hospitals targeted for an SEIU take-over.

According to the CNA, SEIU Director Andy Stern will be required to appear in Superior Court in Oakland on May 1, where a judge will consider a request for a three-year injunction.

SEIU, on its website, accuses CNA of engaging in union-busting activities starting with a conflict in Ohio. De Moro later cancelled an appearance at a Michigan labor conference out of fear for her personal safety.

Click here for CNA’s press release or read on for the text. Read the rest of this entry »

The California Labor Federation has issued dual endorsements in the hotly contested California Senate District 9 race between Democrats Loni Hancock and Wilma Chan. This seat is currently held by outgoing Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata of Alameda.

The labor group also jointly endorsed three of the four Democrats running in Assembly District 14, the seat held by Loni Hancock: Nancy Skinner, Kriss Worthington and Tony Thurmond. The fourth Democrat, Phil Polakoff, apparently didn’t pass muster.

For a full list of endorsements, visit the California Labor Federation’s website at http://www.calaborfed.org/

Or read on for the list. Read the rest of this entry »

Union workers at the East Bay Municipal Water District have threatened to withdraw from the Contra Costa Central Labor Council if it continues to take positions counter to those of local voters, according to a letter from American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 444 President Ruben Rodriguez.

In a very strongly worded letter (posted below), Rodriguez refers to the council’s opposition to the recall of Pinole Councilwoman Maria Alegria, support of urban casinos and former Richmond Mayor Irma Anderson.

Alegria was recalled on Feb. 5. Anderson lost her re-election bid in 2006. And Rodriguez says polls show that Contra Costa residents do not want Indian casinos in their communities.

The council, which is an umbrella group for labor in the county, is hurting labor’s reputation in the community, Rodriguez wrote.”Should the council continue to pursue such anti-union, anti-citizen and anti-democratic positions, we will be forced to withdraw from the council and will actively encourage other Locals (unions) to do so as well,” Rodriguez wrote. “We do not support the philosophy of ‘She may be a crook but she’s our crook.’ Why should citizens honor labor if labor doesn’t honor them?”

Here’s the full text of the letter sent to Contra Costa Labor Council:

February 21, 2008

Contra Costa Central Labor Council

Pam Aguilar, Acting Executive Secretary-Treasurer

1333 East Pine St., #E

Martinez, CA 94553

Dear Pam Aguilar,

AFSCME Local 444 is very concerned about recent political positions taken by the Contra Costa Central Labor Council (CCCLC). We are concerned about the Council’s support of Maria Alegria in the recent recall election, the Council’s support of Irma Anderson in the 2006 Richmond mayoral election and, lastly, the Council’s support for urban casinos.

In the case of Mayor Alegria, the citizens of Pinole formed a grass roots organization to unseat a politician who took advantage of her official position to act in a manner that was detrimental to the best interests of her constituents. Although her voting record may have been pro-labor, ultimately her actions hurt the community she served. Organized labor had no business involving itself in a campaign that will give unions a black eye in Pinole as well as other East Bay communities. Thanks to the actions taken by the CCCLC it will be a long time before organized labor will be respected in Pinole.

Endorsing Irma Anderson for Mayor of Richmond is yet another example of behavior on the part of CCCLC which our Local feels compelled to condemn. Irma Anderson was an ineffectual politician who, when caught in a financial dilemma in part of her own making, laid off over 200 SEIU workers. This action alone should cost her the support of all organized labor, yet the CCCLC endorsed her.

Finally, the CCCLC position on urban casinos is the most backward and anti-labor position a labor organization could take. The citizens of Contra Costa, when polled by State Assemblyperson Hancock, overwhelming stated they did not want casinos in their communities. The citizens of Richmond were never given the opportunity to vote on bringing casinos into the City. The opposition to urban casinos is based on overwhelming information, provided by public and private institutions, clearly indicating the harm casinos reap upon communities. It should also be noted that the individuals harmed most by gambling are the poor and blue collar workers, the very people CCCLC claims to speak for. The CCCLC’c position on casinos is both cynical and opportunistic.The proof that Local 444’s views on these issues are consistent with local public opinion can be found in the defeat by the voters of both Irma Anderson and Maria Alegria. In addition, there is a strong possibility that the Richmond casino deals will fall through.

The members of Local 444 are putting the CCCLC on notice that should the Council continue to pursue such anti-union, anti-citizen and anti-democratic positions we will be forced to withdraw from the Council and will actively encourage other Locals to do so as well. We do not support the philosophy of “she may be a crook but she’s is our crook.” Why should citizens honor Labor if Labor doesn’t honor them?

In Solidarity,

Rubin Rodriguez, President AFSCME Local 444 8400 Enterprise Way, Suite 101 Oakland, CA 94621

cc: George Popyack, Director AFSCME Council 57 Mark Foley, President AFSCME Local 2019Mark Gagliardi, Ex. board CCCLC Millie Cleveland, BA SEIU 1021 Tarnel Abbot, Shop Steward SEIU 1021, Richmond Chapter

Nagaraja Rao, Committee Chairman CCDCC (Contra Costa Democraic Central Committee)
Richard L. Verrilli, CCDCC (Contra Costa Democraic Central Committee)

Jeff Rubin, Concerned Citizens of Pinole

Workers at the East Bay Municipal Utility District have given their union leaders permission to call a strike if ongoing contract negotiations falter.

The strike sanction vote puts more pressure on EBMUD’s elected board to settle the fairly predictable gap between the agency and its workers on a wage increase and ways to share the rising cost of medical benefits.

Utility employees plan a rally at the EBMUD board meeting on Tuesday, which starts at 10:30 a.m. at 375 11th St. in Oakland.

Here’s the content of the union’s press release:

“(Oakland, CA) The Alameda and Contra Costa Central Labor Councils have granted strike sanction to the labor unions that represent over 90% of the employees at East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD).

“We understand that EBMUD, like other employers, is facing rising health insurance costs and that is why we support real health care reform and universal coverage, not the shifting of cost burdens to working families”, said Sharon Cornu, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Alameda County Central Labor Council. Strike sanction is the formal process that brings union members – in this case, 250,000 union families in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties – into an official support position for work stoppages.”