Majority of Participating Union Members Favor Consolidation Plan
A large majority of unionized workers who participated in a vote that concluded last week backed a proposal for a single statewide union for long-term care workers, leaders of the Service Employees International Union announced Friday, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Of the 28,000 workers who participated in the vote, 86% voted for the single statewide union. About 309,000 union members were eligible to participate in the vote (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/12).
Members were asked to vote on their preference for either a 300,000-member local representing all SEIU-affiliated California health care workers or a slightly smaller 220,000-member local representing long-term health care workers.
United Healthcare Workers West of Oakland, San Jose-based SEIU Local 521 and Los Angeles-based SEIU Local 6434 would be affected by the reorganization.
SEIU is the parent organization of all three unions (California Healthline, 12/11).
The vote was non-binding, and SEIU leaders next month will decide how to proceed with reorganization plans (Larrubia, Los Angeles Times, 12/13). (Link not available).
Background
UHW leaders criticized the vote and had urged members not to participate (Sacramento Business Journal, 12/12).
Critics of SEIU's consolidation plan have said the parent union tends to favor deals that increase membership at the expense of negotiations.
SEIU President Andy Stern has said the proposed consolidation would help members organize and gives them more fuel in negotiations with internal corporations and state governments (California Healthline, 12/11). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.