Working Life

Health care is in the air–and there are somewhat dueling camps here in Denver, which reflect what’s happening day-to-day in labor. Last night, I attended a lively reception hosted by a variety of groups–the California Nurses Association and Progressive Democrats of America–who support HR676, the bill that would enact essentially a single-payer system. The bill’s […]

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    Immigration continues to be a very divisive topic. Too often, we don’t hear a basic point–most people don’t choose to leave their homes and travel thousands of miles to find work, often times at great risk to their lives. They are forced to. Today, at the SEIU convention, Gerry Hudson, a union executive vice […]

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    I’ve reached my max on the convention grind. What happens at conventions really is about relationship building, along with the content. But, hey, there is some SEIU-related stuff out there today that’s worth mentioning.     Quick. Snap question: after Wal-Mart, who is the second-largest employer in the country? Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, […]

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    The debate begins on the long-term care resolution: combining all long-term care workers in each state into one local in a state. There will be emotional language but the resolution will pass. A vote on Saturday at the meeting of the health care division supported the resolution so this vote is a foregone conclusion. […]

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    I think there is a serious issue that demands that SEIU be brought before the highest bodies in the land. It is a plot that I have uncovered–exclusively–and threatens the future of labor. Here it is: no union should be allowed to hold a convention in a place that serves rum. You laugh, you […]

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    Well, we’re in the midst of the first day at the SEIU convention and a resolution is now on the floor called "Uniting Working People To Change Our Lives". The resolution essentially implements the "Justice For All" program. It’s a long resolution and I don’t have a copy of it electronically. But, an amendment […]

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    As you probably know, per the previous post, SEIU is arguing that the labor movement cannot be a movement that is just worrying about its members but has to press for "Justice For All". I don’t think it’s entirely fair to say that other unions don’t think they are improving the lives of other […]

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    I had an interesting discussion today at a press conference held by Sal Rosselli, president of United Healthcare Workers West, which represents 140,000 S.E.I.U. members in California, who, as many of you know, is the public face of a group of delegates and leaders who object to some of the positions, actions and vision […]

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    Okay, so, the convention of the Service Employees International Union has kicked off. I’ll be posting now and again–when I’m not drinking rum–when there is something interesting to say (and that is always open to interpretation).     For the time being, here is the Justice For All document that frames the general theme of […]

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    I’ve just been told by a usually reliable source that two major unions–Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union–are meeting today to make national endorsements and they will endorse Barack Obama. This is huge in many respects for Sen. Obama’s campaign.     First, the two unions together account for […]

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