union democracy

  • How Could Little NUHW Beat Giant SEIU? Stewards.

    Here’s my 2 cents on the NUHW win among the Kaiser Permanente professionals. In my view, it was the result of several key ingredients—but especially the existence of stewards councils that continued on their own even under the SEIU trusteeship:

  • Book Review: Embedded with Organized Labor

    One nagging factor in labor's crisis has been its internal culture of silence. Difficult issues are often sidestepped, finessed, or ignored all together. Steve Early says he learned in his early days the first rule of business unionism: “Thou shall not criticize another union.” Thirty years later, he's still banging on this rule with a prose sledgehammer—and producing some of the most insightful commentary around about the labor movement.

  • Viewpoint: An Evening with Andy Stern

    Steve Early

    It’s April Fool’s day, plus one, in what Bob Dylan once called "the green pastures of Harvard University." What does the guest, Andy Stern, think makes for a good union? “If I was being hypothetical, I’d say democracy" . . . .


    Yes
  • Service Employees Vote to Split United Healthcare Workers-West, Members Call for Disaffiliation

    Mark Brenner

    The Service Employees’ internal battle took a decisive turn January 9, when the union’s top body approved plans to split apart a big dissident California local, United Healthcare Workers-West.


    Yes
  • Under Shadow of Corruption Scandals, SEIU Launches Hearings Against Dissidents

    Mark Brenner

    It’s crunch time for the November election, but top officials in SEIU are struggling to focus as corruption scandals and internal divisions over a threatened trusteeship spread across the union....


    Yes
  • Members Decry Loyalty Oaths, Cozy Deals: Reform Movement Forms in SEIU

    Paul Krehbiel

    On the heels of a public fight over the Service Employees (SEIU) International’s move toward labor-management partnership deals and hyper-centralization, members are joining a newly founded national reform group. . . .


    Yes
  • Health Care Local Charges SEIU Is Shutting Members Out of Bargaining & Organizing

    Mark Brenner

    A long-simmering dispute over the direction of the Service Employees has erupted inside the union, pitting leaders of the 150,000-member United Healthcare Workers—West against top International officials. UHW President Sal Rosselli and other executive board members contend that the International is taking too much control of organizing and bargaining contracts away from local unions. . . .


    Yes
  • California SEIU Leader Mounts Battle for Local Control, Union Democracy: An Interview with Sal Rosselli

    Mark Brenner

    Sal Rosselli is the president of United Healthcare Workers—West, the third largest local in the Service Employees union. He resigned on February 9 from his position on SEIU’s executive committee—a top-level advisory board to International President Andy Stern....


    Yes
  • Teamsters Trade Gains of 1997 UPS Strike for Deal to Organize Members at Freight Division

    Mark Brenner

    In mid-November Teamsters at United Parcel Service approved a controversial five-year agreement, more than eight months before the expiration of their current contract. . . .


    Yes
  • New York School Aide Booted from Ballot

    Mischa Gaus

    Tripping up an insurgent campaign among school aides, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 372 disqualified in mid-November a dissident candidate for the union’s executive board. . . .


    Yes