Shorts: Kaiser vote, L.A. Operating Engineers, Respect Our Crafts, A Budget Workers Union?, Dolores Paskal, NY State Nurses

43,000 healthcare workers in California, employees of Kaiser Permanente, may be voting once again in an NLRB collective bargaining rerun election to choose between the SEIU and the independent National Union of Healthcare Workers.  In an earlier election in October 2010, the SEIU defeated the NUHW by 18,290 to 11,364. But on July 18, an NLRB administrative law judge recommended that the NLRB set aside the 2010 election and order a rerun.  The NUHW had charged that in the election campaign period, the SEIU had falsely told voters that they would automatically lose substantial contractual benefits if they chose the NUHW as their bargaining agent. In upholding the NUHW complaint and recommending a rerun, Judge Lane H. Parker wrote that the SEIU action “tended to stoke unwarranted and coercive voter fears” which  interfered “with unit employees’ free and uncoerced choice in the election.” If the board accepts the judge’s recommendation, the NUHW will get a second chance. Its moral position has been vindicated.   

 

In Operating Engineers Local 501, Los Angeles, the website of a strong group that has been battling for membership rights in this big local,  has informed  readers that “our friends over at the Association for Union Democracy dedicated almost their entire newsletter to the Carpenters.” The site manager intends to post the full text of UDR articles on the authoritarian structure of Carpenter regional councils. But why are op. engineers so interested in carpenters? Because “Vincent Giblin [their international president] is up to the same thing Doug McCarron did in the Carpenters Union with the Regional Councils.”   The author may have a real point; there may be a special affinity between Giblin and McCarron.

 

The AFL-CIO Building Trades Department special website,  Respect Our Crafts, features speeches by presidents of construction trades denouncing McCarron for raiding and other offenses, speeches by Jones of the Boilermakers, Hill of the IBEW, Ayers of the BTD, Sullivan of the Sheet Metal Workers, Williams of the Painters, Robinson of the Roofers, Hunt (emeritus) of the Ironworkers. Not a critical word from Giblin of the Operating Engineers. 

 

A Budget Workers Union?  A.P. reports that half the staff of the White House budget office wants to join a union, the American Federation of Government Employees. What a slash and burn opportunity for the Federal budget cutters! A dream! In retaliation, Congress can ward off this Obama-type socialist penetration of the very heart of government simply by refusing to fund the budget office and laying off its subversive employees. No budget, no more  big government expenses. The upkeep of the military can easily be maintained by private donations from patriotic citizens.

 

This suggestion might seem bizarre to normal mortals, but we are dealing here with right-wing anti-unionists. The House just shut down the Federal Aviation  Administration  by refusing to fund its budget -- just to make a clear anti-union statement. The House majority wants to void a recent ruling  of the National Mediation Board that permits FAA, and other employees covered by the Railway Labor Act to gain collective bargaining rights if a majority of the voters favor a union in an NMB election. This procedure has always been standard in NLRB elections. But not for workers, like those in airlines, covered  by the RLA. The House wants to revert to an earlier ruling by the NMB, while it was under Republican control, that required unions to win a majority of the entire bargaining unit, counting all employees, whether they voted or not. That makes it super-difficult for a union to win because, in effect, those who do not vote are counted as having voted no. The House decision means:  Restore the anti-union rule or we’ll shut you down. For more on the legal angles, see Paul Levy'’s letter to the Washington Post on his blog: http://paulalanlevy.blogspot.com.  

 

Dolores Paskal died on July 20 after a long bout with cancer. With her husband, Oscar Paskal, she was a longtime and generous supporter of AUD. Editor Herman Benson mourns her as a very special friend. Memorial services were held at their home in Detroit.

 

The New York State Nurses Association is deeply immersed in elections for members of its Board of Directors.  Directors are elected for staggered terms. This time six board positions are up for grabs: four members at large, plus the president-elect and treasurer. In last year’s election, the caucus critical of the present association management succeeded in electing three members to the board. If the caucus succeeds in electing all its candidates, the current association management would lose its majority on the board, creating an unusual -- even tense -- situation.

 

The NYSNA election procedure is curious. Mail ballots went out on July 11 with an August 8 deadline for voting. For some reason, ballots are mailed to Minnesota to be tallied by an outside election agency. Then a big time gap until September when a statewide membership convention is scheduled where the results are finally announced. The newly elected officers, whoever they maybe, are installed after the convention. Plenty of space for unpredictable incidents.