Kaiser Permanente workers vote to split from giant Service Employees International Union

Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers throughout Southern California have voted overwhelmingly to quit the giant Service Employees International Union and join a smaller rival union, according to election results released today.

The National Labor Relations Board, which tallied secret-ballot votes cast earlier this month, said that about 2,000 nurses and care professionals voted more than 6 to 1 in favor of ditching the SEIU and affiliating with the rival National Union of Healthcare Workers, a breakaway faction that is challenging the SEIU’s dominance.

The defeat is a major setback for SEIU, the largest hospital and healthcare workers union in California, with some 150,000 members. The SEIU is engaged in a fierce battle for workers’ allegiance with the emergent NUHW, headed by former SEIU leaders ousted a year ago in a bitter takeover.

The breakaway NUHW, which doesn’t yet have a single member under contract,  has accused the SEIU of shutting workers out of negotiations and cutting deals with management -- allegations the larger union denies.

The SEIU calls its insurgent rival irresponsible and ill-equipped to represent workers. The row has split union and Democratic Party activists statewide.

Kaiser workers at scores of facilities in Southern California voted this month, both by mail and in person. Among those casting ballots were registered nurses at Kaiser’s Los Angeles Medical Center on Sunset Boulevard.

A total of 746 nurses voted to join NUHW, according to the labor board, while 36 cast ballots to remain with SEIU. Healthcare professionals voted 189 to 29 to join NUHW, while psychiatric and social service workers favored NUHW 717 to 92, according to the labor board.

“This is the beginning of a shift in the labor movement nationwide toward more democratic, member-driven representation, not leadership from the top down,” said David Mallon, a psychiatric social worker with Kaiser in Norwalk who favored NUHW.

NUHW is now setting its sights on some 50,000 other Kaiser workers across California currently represented by SEIU. The upstart union is pushing petitions among workers throughout the state to supplant the colossal SEIU, which claims 2.2 million members in North America, almost half in the healthcare sector.

Steve Trossman, an SEIU spokesman, called the results “disappointing” and accused the rival union of putting the affected employees “at grave risk,” because they are no longer part of a larger coalition of Kaiser unions.

NUHW officials scoffed at the notion of  any risk and vowed to win better worker contracts than those negotiated by SEIU. Once the labor board certifies the results, the new union will be able to form bargaining committees.

-- Patrick J. McDonnell

Comments

[Brian]

VICTORY!!!!!! Good bye SEIU, hello NUHW!!!! And soon, 47,000 of my fellow Kaiser co-workers will join us in our democratic union!!!! This is the beginning of the end of SEIU!!!! Long live NUHW!!!

[purple monster]

This is the start of a long downhill slide for SEIU and a big forward step for thousands of soon-to-be former members and the rest of the labor movement. SEIU morphed from a union into a corporation several years ago and people are noticing, and taking action...

[Lornaj]

It is time someone has done that. Maybe members will vote out AFT 1521A because they do not do anything, but go to conferences. Furthermore, collect dues, and Sleep with the enemy.

[Jim H]

Too bad. This has all the earmarks of a company union.

[Tara]

As Acorn has gone, so is the SEIU! Power to the workers!

[garagehero]

Wow!!! As a Kaiser employee for the past 30 years, I have seen the SEIU become nothing more than a racket with its sole purpose to relieve us of our union dues. Hopefully this victory will give courage to the rest of Kaiser Sunset hospital and service workers to throw of the shackles of SEIU!!
Congratulation nurses....but now, the real battle begins....

[seiu organizer]

Dear Brothers and Sisters, on behalf of the 81 organizers brought in from all corners "we apologize", Dave Regan and Anna Burger have threatened our livelihoods for the last time.

We were weak, we all believe in the labor movement, however, after 57 of us have been "laid off, pending review" we seek forgiveness.

[nick]

It's about time someone stood up the SEIU. I am with them and they are terrible. I would love to get rid of them. They do whats best for themselves and no one else. I work for the city of L.A. and they have taken advantage of the workers, city, and more importantly the taxpayers.

[Adam Joad]

I ran into a couple of Zombie temps at the annual area food pantry collection day last year. It brings out about a hundred volunteers from churchs and labor unions each year.The volunteers were wearing the Zombie uhw T-shirts. I've seen them at other political events with all their 1199 duds. Anyway, turns out they had been sent out to work on the homecare decert campaign. I asked them about their union spending $10,000,000 and barely taking the election. With all sincerity they told me how NUHW had brainwashed them all!

[Cesar]

@Tara. No single grassroots community organization has done more for poor and working class families in our countries history than ACORN. And that’s a fact! From affordable housing, fighting and taking direct action against predatory lending practices, voter education and registration and playing leading roles in passing living wage legislation or ordinances in over 7 states. Including California. So if you have family like i do that work in the service industry, they're benefiting from the work ACORN has accomplished. Know your allies from your enemies and avoid getting your information from corporate media my sister. Bigg ups NUHW!!! Si se puede!

[Susievargas]

Laborers' union take note. In this econony we need a real voice on the job and not a company union that "organizes" by cutting deals with contractors to undermine conditions and standards. Way to go kaiser healthcare professionals. I hope your negotiations proceed swiftly and meaningfully so you can make ends meet and continue to provide the best patient care