Anti SEIU campaign - the politics of envy fed by failure‏

There is an astonishing claim in Tribune that the U.S. trade union the‘Service Employees International Union’ is wrecking the American trade union movement and waging a war on other trade unions. Even worse that it is making agreements and partnerships with employers that restrict the rights of workers. Then to finally put a straight knife into any lingering respect there might be, there is a claim that the SEIU has offered to buy out one of the biggest trade unions in the UK in a form that would have been a take over.

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/09/18/%e2%80%98beware-roman-empire-union%e2%80%99-tuc-is-warned/

With a number of trade unions the SEIU left the AFL – CIO for very good trade union reasons. They felt that the organisation was not fulfilling its role in promoting the interests of its own members –the low paid, part time service workers of the USA. In particular the AFL – CIO strategy for survival was completely at odds with the SEIU.

Since SEIU left the AFL – CIO their membership has gone from strength to strength – now standing at 2.2 million (a growth of over 1 millionin 8 years). The SEIU is not in any way hostile to AFL – CIO and continues to work alongside its affiliate unions from its own organisation ‘Change to Win’.

This strategy of SEIU is based on total priority for Organising – priority in terms of time and funding. Partnership agreements aresigned by SEIU just as they are here in the UK by UNISON, UNITE and the GMB – on the basis of power built up by the union and exercised on behalf of its members.

What SEIU do is organise a whole sector – and not just a single employer. In this process they sign agreements that don’t lead to outside anti trade union companies undercutting their members jobs – then they move on to sign up all companies. A sensiblet rade union strategy that takes commitment in resources and the SEIU delivers.

Where SEIU does stand out is in its willingness to put its resources behind progressive causes. It mobilised millions of voters out at the Primaries and in the election to support Barack Obama and has spent $87 million dollars and is mobilising voters again in support of his Health Care Reform Bill. Members and activists are attending rallies and lobbying Congress members in order to counter balance the astonishing right wing assault on reforms that will directly benefit the poor – and trade union members across the USA.

It is campaigning energetically for the Employee Free Choice Act, a Bill that will make it easier for all trade unions in the USA to organise and win recognition.

Both UNISON and UNITE have working relationships with the SEIU – based on solidarity and a willingness to work with each other in Organising and in dealing with the same Global Companies. There has never been a question of ‘buying out’ either trade unions.

Following a failed merger (between the Unite and Here unions), there is a very bitter dispute taking place with UNITE HERE (265 000 strongand former Change to Win union) regarding membership and control of a union owned commercial bank. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/nyregion/30unite.html

It seems that UNITE HERE is bringing that argument to the UK. That disagreement belongs in the US movement and should not be used to undermine successful joint working between unions across the Atlantic when dealing with Global Companies.

The Tribune report is less remarkable for the presence at the TUC of Debbie Anderson from UNITE HERE - she represents an organisation in conflict with SEIU and is currently touring Europe to put her organisation's case.

But why is Paul Kenny of the GMB so keen to pitch into an inter union dispute from another continent? Perhaps to demonstrate the same tendency to sow division and disrupt international solidarity that was so evident in the dubious shenanigans around the Palestine debate at the TUC.