Andy Stern: Difference between revisions

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Line 38: \|publisher=SEIU (via Marketwatch via PR Newswire) \|date=2008-09-03 }}</ref>Rosselli denies the charges, saying the charges against UHW West are a smokescreen to hide Stern's abuse of power and corruption in some of the union's locals. ~~}}</ref>~~ In February 2008, UHW West leader Rosselli accused Stern of trying to wrest control of the entire union, before the National Labor Relations Board had a chance to review charges relating to the lawsuits against Stern and the national SEIU leadership.<ref>[http://www.sfweekly.com/2008-02-20/news/local-union-leader-rosselli-blasts-seiu-boss-andy-stern/ "Sal Rosselli Blasts SEIU Leader Andy Stern", ''SF Weekly'' (February 20, 2008)]</ref><ref>[http://www.seiuvoice.com Dissident SEIU Website]</ref>In December 2008, Juan Gonzalez of the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' summarized charges of corruption in various SEIU locals across the country.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/12/30/2008-12-30_seiu_president_andy_stern_is_a_threat_to.html Juan Gonzalez, "Andy Stern Is a Threat to Labor's Soul", ''New York Daily News'' (December 30, 2008)]</ref> According to a story published in the ''[[New York Times]]'' on December 11, 2008, the SEIU was "badly embarrassed" when the union was named in the federal criminal complaint authored by the team led by US Attorney [[Patrick Fitzgerald]] that charged [[Rod R. Blagojevich]], [[Governor of Illinois]], with attempting to gain illicit financial benefits via the appointment of the state’s next senator, replacing [[Barack Obama]]. The article names [[Tom Balanoff]], president of SEIU Illinois Council, Vice President of its International Executive Board, as well as the President of SEIU Local 1, as being involved. The article also notes that Illinois branch of the SEIU issued a statement saying, “We have no reason to believe that S.E.I.U. or any S.E.I.U. official was involved in any misconduct.” In December 2008, Juan Gonzalez of the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' summarized charges of corruption in various SEIU locals across the country.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/12/30/2008-12-30_seiu_president_andy_stern_is_a_threat_to.html Juan Gonzalez, "Andy Stern Is a Threat to Labor's Soul", ''New York Daily News'' (December 30, 2008)]</ref> Most significant for critics is most workers in a bargaining unit would not get a vote on such contracts, only a few people that would be chosen to bargain for them. One union that has been very vocal about Stern's proposed changes in negotiations is UHW West, a California local headed by Rosselli, the second largest in the country. UHW West has charged Stern with wanting to dispense with union democracy in favor of fast growth that leaves union members without a voice in their workplaces and their collective bargaining contracts. The issue of union democracy is expected to a major point of contention at the SEIU convention in June 2008.<ref>See San Francisco Business Journal story http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/04/07/story15.html?b=1207540800%5E1615567</ref>