Former SEIU Stern Aid Attacks Threat Of Imposed SEIU UHW Trusteeship
http://democracy4seiu.blogspot.com/

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2008

Stern Allegedly Consistently Ignored Sexual Harassment and Theft at Locals
Dear Andy,

I have been retired since April, but I have been a member and/or staff of SEIU unions almost continually since the early 1970's. I have worked for SEIU 535, 790, and UHW. I was deputy trustee of SEIU 1199 during that trusteeship.

I first met you here in California in the 1980's when SEIU was organizing state workers. Like many others, I was delighted when you were elected President of SEIU. What a breath of fresh air, someone from my generation and background (social services) finally in a position to make much needed changes in the labor movement.

I had become very cynical about SEIU's commitment to workers after my experience as Education Director at 790, discovering the Executive Director, Paul Varacalli, had stolen thousands of dollars from the membership, and kept his job. I was fired, along with four other staff leaders, for whistleblowing.

Within a few months of leaving 790 I became Education Director of Local 250, learned that Paul Varacalli was an aberration, that there still were honest and dedicated leaders within SEIU, like Sal Rosselli. Soon after, you became President of SEIU and I believed we were finally headed down the right path.

You immediately took some bold steps to end corruption in SEIU and that was very encouraging. You seemed to be saying by your actions that there would be no place for self-serving union leaders in SEIU. So when it became apparent that you were championing Tyrone Freeman here in California, I was puzzled. Tyrone's illegal and illicit activities were no secret.

In addition to the child care fiasco ( not only did the contract go to his mother-in-law, no members benefited, he lied to his executive board, only Tyrone and his top leadership staff had access to the childcare,) and other payments to relatives and friends, the cigar club, etc., there was also the history of sexual harassment and intimidation that went on within that local. Tyrone had numerious affairs with staff, and promoted women as a result of them,(easily documented because of the resulting pregnacies) and was sued for sexual harassment.

This was common knowledge in the labor movement, and you had staff, John Barton for one, working in that local. You had to know what was happening, yet you not only let it continue, you condoned and encouraged it by promoting Tyrone's leadership within SEIU.

You were prepared to move 65,000 longterm care workers from a union (UHW) with honest and dedicated leadership into an organization which you knew was riddled with corruption. Because UHW objected to that move, you retaliated - threatened to take away union members democratic rights to choose their own leaders and run an organization free of corruption.

I understand you have political and philosophical differences with Sal (and others) regarding how best to move the union forward. However, whatever your differences are, you know he is honest beyond reproach, and you know that UHW is a effective Union, working in the best interests of its members.

Given your active support of the corrupt leadership of 6434, how can you be trusted to decide the fate of UHW?

I am sad to say after a life time of commitment to this Union, I am disgusted and embarassed by SEIU under your leadership.

Joan Braconi