The SEIU (Service Employees International Union) is the most influential union in the nation. They agitate for many legal changes that would benefit union members at the expense of employers. Most notably, they are in full-force behind so-called “card check” legislation that would make it much easier for unions to form.
It might come as a surprise then that the SEIU does not extend to its own employees the same benefits and protections that it agitates for on behalf of its members. They are laying off a number of union members they employ and shifting work to contractors and temporary employees.
The Service Employees International Union, considered the most influential union in the nation, has notified the union that represents about 220 of the SEIU’s national field staff members and organizers that it is laying off 75 of the employees.
In return, the workers union, which goes by the somewhat postmodern name of the Union of Union Representatives, has filed charges of unfair labor practices against the SEIU with the National Labor Relations Board. The workers union’s leaders say that the SEIU is engaging in the same kind of practices that some businesses use: laying off workers without proper notice, contracting out work to temporary-staffing firms, banning union activities and reclassifying workers to reduce union numbers.
I’m not surprised at all. The SEIU is trying to do what any business does: control its costs. Of course when a business does this SEIU will say that it is greedily exploiting employees and do anything in its power to stop the cost cutting. But it’s OK for SEIU to layoff union members because this is a “special time”.
SEIU officials say the layoffs are part of a long-running plan to reallocate resources. Its national office will devote more of its resources to lobbying and communications in Washington to take advantage of Democrats’ ascendance. Most organizing would be left to local chapters, where officials say they have identified dozens of openings for the laid-off staff.
“This is not a financial issue,” said SEIU President Andy Stern. “We need to respond to the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity our members created by helping elect President Obama.”
The SEIU is reallocating its recources towards where it judges they will be most effectively implemented. If this is done to make a profit that is “bad”. If reallocating resources is done to increase the exploitations from companies that is “good”.
Hypocrites! This should be getting much more media attention.
-
“Do as I say, not as I do”, SEIU President & WEASEL Andy Stern