June 13th, 2019
The struggle with SEIU continues. Take a moment to hear from a few of our dedicated Local 2 members and watch their videos below.
March 12, 2019/David Hoskins
In the face of continued attacks against their labor rights,
SEIU Headquarters union workers vote overwhelmingly to authorize strike
Strike authorization vote comes after years of union-busting attacks by management at SEIU and its pension fund, stalled bargaining over attempts to remove job security for workers
WASHINGTON, DC – In a significant show of strength and unity, 92 percent of OPEIU Local 2 members who work at SEIU headquarters authorized a strike after rejecting management’s best and final offer. The vote reveals the extent of labor unrest inside SEIU’s own office as management has eliminated the majority of union jobs in favor of outsourcing the work to non-union consultants.
“As the most progressive labor union in the country, SEIU has a special responsibility to lead by example and work with its union staff to fight back against the right-wing attacks on labor in this country,” said David Hoskins, chief shop steward. “To do this, we must work together to create more good union jobs—not eliminate them. Unfortunately, what SEIU tells the public and its members about union values contrasts sharply to its behavior toward its union workers. At our office, SEIU bosses have engaged in a prolonged union-busting campaign, even while bargaining a collective agreement with its union staff."
Over the last five years, union jobs at SEIU and its pension fund have been cut in half: from 283 to 149. The remaining number of union workers represented by OPEIU Local 2 has declined drastically since 2005, from 171 members to 84. SEIU staff is now made up of 70 percent managers as SEIU’s leadership has systematically cut the number of union positions in favor of at-will managerial bloat and non-union consultants. According to filings with the Department of Labor, SEIU spent $21.6 million outsourcing work to non-union consultants in 2017, much of which should have been done by union workers.
At the same time, SEIU publicly launched a Unions For All campaign highlighting the importance of building and maintaining good union jobs to improve this country’s economy. OPEIU Local 2 members firmly believe that all workers—Black, white and brown—whether they work for Walmart, McDonald’s or a self-proclaimed pro-worker organization like SEIU, should be able to speak with a collective voice on the job without a steady barrage of union-busting by their employer.
"SEIU spent the past 10 years punishing its staff unions for possible bad decisions by a conservative Supreme Court," said Christi Fanelli, a Local 2 member working at SEIU Headquarters. "We are now reaching a crisis point where all the money is being spent on expensive people offering opinions, and very few people are left to do the work. Local 2 has had enough of this cycle of irresponsibility. Building a sustainable organization means developing institutional knowledge and investing in the people who are committed to the labor movement."
Workers represented by OPEIU Local 2 attempted to address these issues in contract negotiations with SEIU and was rebuffed by management-- including a proposal to decide on whether to use contractors or union staff based on the best interests of SEIU, which management rejected. Management’s last, best, and final offer includes a major concession that aims to end key layoff protections for all new union staff hires.
SEIU has also come under scrutiny in recent years over rampant alleged abuse by high ranking executives and managers, including widespread bullying and sexual harassment.
"The SEIU field staff who are members of the Union of Union Representatives (UUR) stand united with our sisters and brothers in Local 2" said UUR President Conor Hanlon. "We call on SEIU management to practice what they preach--return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair contract with their headquarters and pension fund staff."
The group of workers made up of the professional and technical support staff at SEIU and its pension fund say that SEIU management has failed to commit to any meaningful improvements at the bargaining table. They are prepared to strike if management fails to agree to any significant improvements to layoff protections, job security, and workplace culture.
In the face of continued attacks against their labor rights,
SEIU Headquarters union workers vote overwhelmingly to authorize strike
Strike authorization vote comes after years of union-busting attacks by management at SEIU and its pension fund, stalled bargaining over attempts to remove job security for workers
WASHINGTON, DC – In a significant show of strength and unity, 92 percent of OPEIU Local 2 members who work at SEIU headquarters authorized a strike after rejecting management’s best and final offer. The vote reveals the extent of labor unrest inside SEIU’s own office as management has eliminated the majority of union jobs in favor of outsourcing the work to non-union consultants.
“As the most progressive labor union in the country, SEIU has a special responsibility to lead by example and work with its union staff to fight back against the right-wing attacks on labor in this country,” said David Hoskins, chief shop steward. “To do this, we must work together to create more good union jobs—not eliminate them. Unfortunately, what SEIU tells the public and its members about union values contrasts sharply to its behavior toward its union workers. At our office, SEIU bosses have engaged in a prolonged union-busting campaign, even while bargaining a collective agreement with its union staff."
Over the last five years, union jobs at SEIU and its pension fund have been cut in half: from 283 to 149. The remaining number of union workers represented by OPEIU Local 2 has declined drastically since 2005, from 171 members to 84. SEIU staff is now made up of 70 percent managers as SEIU’s leadership has systematically cut the number of union positions in favor of at-will managerial bloat and non-union consultants. According to filings with the Department of Labor, SEIU spent $21.6 million outsourcing work to non-union consultants in 2017, much of which should have been done by union workers.
At the same time, SEIU publicly launched a Unions For All campaign highlighting the importance of building and maintaining good union jobs to improve this country’s economy. OPEIU Local 2 members firmly believe that all workers—Black, white and brown—whether they work for Walmart, McDonald’s or a self-proclaimed pro-worker organization like SEIU, should be able to speak with a collective voice on the job without a steady barrage of union-busting by their employer.
"SEIU spent the past 10 years punishing its staff unions for possible bad decisions by a conservative Supreme Court," said Christi Fanelli, a Local 2 member working at SEIU Headquarters. "We are now reaching a crisis point where all the money is being spent on expensive people offering opinions, and very few people are left to do the work. Local 2 has had enough of this cycle of irresponsibility. Building a sustainable organization means developing institutional knowledge and investing in the people who are committed to the labor movement."
Workers represented by OPEIU Local 2 attempted to address these issues in contract negotiations with SEIU and was rebuffed by management-- including a proposal to decide on whether to use contractors or union staff based on the best interests of SEIU, which management rejected. Management’s last, best, and final offer includes a major concession that aims to end key layoff protections for all new union staff hires.
SEIU has also come under scrutiny in recent years over rampant alleged abuse by high ranking executives and managers, including widespread bullying and sexual harassment.
"The SEIU field staff who are members of the Union of Union Representatives (UUR) stand united with our sisters and brothers in Local 2" said UUR President Conor Hanlon. "We call on SEIU management to practice what they preach--return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair contract with their headquarters and pension fund staff."
The group of workers made up of the professional and technical support staff at SEIU and its pension fund say that SEIU management has failed to commit to any meaningful improvements at the bargaining table. They are prepared to strike if management fails to agree to any significant improvements to layoff protections, job security, and workplace culture.