Revolution Brewing at Local 221

From Monty Kroopkin who is "way down south" at Local 221 (San Diego area). This letter is intended for the members of Local 221 but it gives a peak into the problems the members are dealing with down there. It's good to know the fight for union democracy extends well beyond the NUHW/Zombie UHW fight.

Dear SEIU Brothers and Sisters,

The federal Department of Labor has agreed with incumbent officials of SEIU Local 221 to another extension of the deadline for the Department to file a lawsuit against the union to compel a re-do of the union elections of July 2009. This is the fifth extension of the deadline, which was originally January 17, 2010. The Dept may still reach an out of court settlement with the union, for a new election to be conducted under government supervision. Or, unlikely at this late date, the Dept could still dismiss the complaint which was filed by 10 members of Reform221 on November 16, 2009. The Dept did announce in January that it had made a preliminary finding of serious violations in the 2009 elections.

Meanwhile, the same people who are accused of rigging the July 2009 elections are still in control of our union. That is, with the exception of former Local 221 President Sharon-Frances Moore. She resigned on January 18, 2009, for reasons which the union membership has still not been allowed to hear. Her running mates in the July 2009 elections are still the majority on the union's Executive Board. They voted to appoint Moore's former chief of staff, Eric Banks, as Interim President. Banks also served as the official contact person for the election campaign of Moore's slate of candidates. Moore's slate of candidates were mostly incumbent members of the "provisional" (aka, unelected) E-Board, and were appointed directly by International SEIU President Andy Stern in 2007.

If you don't like the way this is dragging out, and don't like the sound of who is appointing who, then it is time to make your voice heard. Please write to U.S. Dept. of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, District Director Alan Weiss at Weiss.Alan@dol.gov and urge him to get on with resolving this complaint. We need a new election NOW, not years from now!

And, please join Reform221. Our platform is posted on our website at http://reformseiulocal221.blogspot.com/ (scroll down to see it). If you agree with most of what we stand for, we want to work with you to take back our union and to make it effective in dealing with our employers. Contact us at reform221@earthlink.net
 
And come to the first General Membership Meeting of SEIU Local 221, and voice your concerns, on April 17, 2010. Information on the meeting is at the Local website at http://draft.seiu221.org/General_Membership_Meeting.aspx You can introduce resolutions on the direction of our union and/or for particular actions to be taken, which -- if voted in by the members at the meeting -- are binding upon the incumbent Executive Board and the union's staff. Resolutions can be introduced from the floor of the meeting. (So don't be put off by the request to turn yours in by April 7. Those turned in on time will however be printed up so eveybody at the meeting will have a copy). Did you know that you could do that? Did you know members of our union have this power?

For a Democratic and Effective Union,

Monty Kroopkin, Steward

Here's the ruling from the U.S. Department of Labor. It appears Local 221 executive staff will delay the inevitable and further soil the SEIU brand here in California and by extension nationally.