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KPFA's Labor Reporter Censors SEIU Unite-Here Story
While the split in the SEIU and it's raid on Unite Here is a local and national story including the take-over of UHW, KPFA Labor reporter David Bacon who does a weekly 30 minute show on the morning show continues to ignore the story. Even Democracy Now is covering this story but no report from Bacon. Maybe he is afraid of offending people he works for?
Battle Over $12 Million Splits Labor Movement UNITE HERE
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/17/juan_gonzalez_battle_over_12_million
Movement UNITE HERE
In the weeks before a bitter power struggle at one of the country’s biggest unions, UNITE HERE, erupted into an open split, the union’s general president ordered more than $12 million be transferred to local affiliates loyal to him and to outside groups. Bruce Raynor disbursed the money without the knowledge or required approval of the union’s co-president, John Wilhelm, UNITE HERE leaders said this week. Those funds, they claim, were then used to finance a breakaway group from the union. [includes rush transcript]
AMY GOODMAN: Juan, before we go down to Cuba, you have two very interesting pieces this week in the New York Daily News. Today’s, “Battle Over $12 Million Splits Labor Movement UNITE HERE.”
JUAN GONZALEZ: Yes. Well, I reported in today’s paper that the continuing battle within UNITE HERE, the split that occurred, one of the major labor unions in the country, that in the weeks before that split, the president of the union, who has been ousted since then, Bruce Raynor, transferred more than $12 million in wire transfers out of the union’s accounts to loyal locals of his, and that money was then moved out of the union into a separate fund that Raynor set up outside and then was used to finance the split that occurred on March 7th of this year. And there are real questions being raised by the union leaders who are still running UNITE HERE as to whether this was a legal situation, since Raynor had to have co-signatures of his co-president, John Wilhelm, for any checks or any expenditures of money.
And the breakaway group, Workers United, is now part of the Service Employees International Union. And while Raynor refused to respond to my questions about all of these wire transfers—there were dozens of them that occurred, some on the eve of the split—the SEIU did say that the charges of UNITE HERE are filled with errors and that they’re not going to respond, because there’s an ongoing legal question or legal battle going on between the two sides.
AMY GOODMAN: This is also very interesting because of Amalgamated Bank.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Yes. Well, at the crux of the legal battle between the two groups that have split is who is going to end up controlling the Amalgamated Bank, the only union-owned bank in America, with about $4 billion in assets. A lot of people call it the crown jewel of the American labor movement. And so, there is a huge battle—who is legally still in charge of the Amalgamated Bank?—that will have to be decided by a federal court eventually.
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/17/juan_gonzalez_battle_over_12_million
Movement UNITE HERE
In the weeks before a bitter power struggle at one of the country’s biggest unions, UNITE HERE, erupted into an open split, the union’s general president ordered more than $12 million be transferred to local affiliates loyal to him and to outside groups. Bruce Raynor disbursed the money without the knowledge or required approval of the union’s co-president, John Wilhelm, UNITE HERE leaders said this week. Those funds, they claim, were then used to finance a breakaway group from the union. [includes rush transcript]
AMY GOODMAN: Juan, before we go down to Cuba, you have two very interesting pieces this week in the New York Daily News. Today’s, “Battle Over $12 Million Splits Labor Movement UNITE HERE.”
JUAN GONZALEZ: Yes. Well, I reported in today’s paper that the continuing battle within UNITE HERE, the split that occurred, one of the major labor unions in the country, that in the weeks before that split, the president of the union, who has been ousted since then, Bruce Raynor, transferred more than $12 million in wire transfers out of the union’s accounts to loyal locals of his, and that money was then moved out of the union into a separate fund that Raynor set up outside and then was used to finance the split that occurred on March 7th of this year. And there are real questions being raised by the union leaders who are still running UNITE HERE as to whether this was a legal situation, since Raynor had to have co-signatures of his co-president, John Wilhelm, for any checks or any expenditures of money.
And the breakaway group, Workers United, is now part of the Service Employees International Union. And while Raynor refused to respond to my questions about all of these wire transfers—there were dozens of them that occurred, some on the eve of the split—the SEIU did say that the charges of UNITE HERE are filled with errors and that they’re not going to respond, because there’s an ongoing legal question or legal battle going on between the two sides.
AMY GOODMAN: This is also very interesting because of Amalgamated Bank.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Yes. Well, at the crux of the legal battle between the two groups that have split is who is going to end up controlling the Amalgamated Bank, the only union-owned bank in America, with about $4 billion in assets. A lot of people call it the crown jewel of the American labor movement. And so, there is a huge battle—who is legally still in charge of the Amalgamated Bank?—that will have to be decided by a federal court eventually.
For more information:
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/17/juan...
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This post is indicative of the attitude of Randy Shaw and other partisans for the 'news that fits.' If Bacon ain't covering it, it couldn't be because it's a story involving trading accusations and egos that doesn't have relevance for workers. No it's probably the looming right wing menace of the KPFA Board. Ha! I'm sure Mr. Gonzalez has no axe to grind regarding puerto rican teachers. What a crock
The "Fox" who is dogged in his defense of KPFA Labor Programmer and supporter of the "Concerned Listeners" David Bacon obviously is angry that the antics of his leader Stern are being shown the light of day including the exposure of Bacon's silence about this major labor story. Of course, if you actually didn't have an axe to grind you would cover the story but obviously Bacon has his own reasons for not covering this story that is happening right here in the bay area and in Fresno.
The lack of coverage by Bacon again raises question about who is he working for? Does he get payments from the SEIU for his "journalistic work" and is concerned they might cut him off if he tells the truth about them?
The fact of the matter, is that the Stern gang is a criminal outfit involved in national and international union busting. If there was justice they would be expelled from the labor movement and probably be put in jail for stealing union dues and illegal manipulation of union elections. Of course, since Obama is a beneficiary of the SEIU member's union dues and has put Stern's agent in government positions. members should not hold their breath waiting for justice to be done by this government.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/17/2009-06-17_bitter_battle_over_12m_splits_labor_movement.html
Battle over $12M splits labor movement UNITE HERE
Wednesday, June 17th 2009, 4:00 AM
Hamburg/News
Bruce Raynor in 2002.
In the weeks before a bitter power struggle at one of the country's biggest unions, UNITE HERE, erupted into an open split, the union's general president ordered more than $12 million be transferred to local affiliates loyal to him and to outside groups, documents obtained by the Daily News show.
Bruce Raynor disbursed the money without the knowledge or required approval of the union's co-president, John Wilhelm, UNITE HERE leaders said this week. Those funds, they claim, were then used to finance a breakaway group from the union.
"I was a co-signer with Raynor on all checks and was supposed to approve all expenditures that weren't customary and recurring, yet I knew nothing about any of this spending," Wilhelm said.
On March 7, dozens of locals that were loyal to Raynor seceded from UNITE HERE. A few weeks later, the splinter group, representing about 100,000 members, founded a new organization, Workers United. That group promptly affiliated to the powerful Service Employees International Union.
But Raynor stayed on as president of UNITE HERE while he pursued a court battle with Wilhelm over control of the Amalgamated Bank, the only union-owned bank inAmerica.
On the night of May 29, Raynor resigned from UNITE HERE, hours before the start of a union hearing that was seeking to expel him. He then joined Workers United and was immediately named its new president.
"It's an absolute violation of federal labor law to use members' own money to foster a secession," Wilhelm said yesterday.
Raynor declined to respond to questions about his handling of UNITE HERE finances.
The claims of Wilhelm's group are "riddled with factual errors," Michelle Ringuette, a spokeswoman for SEIU, said.
"Since this matter is currently subject to litigation, there will be no point-by-point response to the allegations," Ringuette said.
The internal documents obtained by The News show that in the weeks leading up to the split Raynor ordered several sizable wire transfers without any approval from Wilhelm.
On Jan. 31, for example, he directed that $457,981 be paid from UNITE HERE to The Organizing Group, a political consulting firm with close ties to SEIU.
The head of The Organizing Group, Steve Rosenthal, then organized mailings and robocalls to union members that promoted the secession campaign of Workers United. He also organized a Web site for the group. Rosenthal did not respond to calls for comment.
Between Jan. 26 and Jan. 31, Raynor ordered another dozen transfers totaling $11.2 million for various UNITE HERE locals around the country.
"Bruce told the presidents he would wire them the money from the union's assistance funds and they were to immediately transfer it to a new outside group he'd set up, called Fund for the Future," said one UNITE HERE source who claims direct knowledge of the discussions.
On March 6, the day before those locals officially voted to secede, Raynor ordered more a dozen wire transfers sent to them, totaling another $500,000, for "reimbursement of expenditures."
Raynor and the leaders of SEIU have claimed for months that the dispute inside UNITE HERE is simply a case of a labor marriage that didn't work out.
In 2005, UNITE, the country's biggest apparel workers union, merged with HERE, the nation's main hotel workers union, to form UNITE HERE. But the cultures of the two groups never meshed, Raynor has said, so the only way to resolve the dispute was with a divorce and equitable division of the union's assets. Since UNITE brought the bank and other valuable property into the marriage, Raynor has said, those assets should stay with Workers United.
Wilhelm, on the other hand, clearly enjoys the majority support of UNITE HERE's members. He has accused Raynor and his backer, SEIU President Andy Stern, of orchestrating the split so they can take over unionization of the fast-growing hotel and gaming industries.
It has become a bitter and divisive confrontation in the entire labor movement. No one knows how it will end.
jgonzalez [at] nydailynews.com
The lack of coverage by Bacon again raises question about who is he working for? Does he get payments from the SEIU for his "journalistic work" and is concerned they might cut him off if he tells the truth about them?
The fact of the matter, is that the Stern gang is a criminal outfit involved in national and international union busting. If there was justice they would be expelled from the labor movement and probably be put in jail for stealing union dues and illegal manipulation of union elections. Of course, since Obama is a beneficiary of the SEIU member's union dues and has put Stern's agent in government positions. members should not hold their breath waiting for justice to be done by this government.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/17/2009-06-17_bitter_battle_over_12m_splits_labor_movement.html
Battle over $12M splits labor movement UNITE HERE
Wednesday, June 17th 2009, 4:00 AM
Hamburg/News
Bruce Raynor in 2002.
In the weeks before a bitter power struggle at one of the country's biggest unions, UNITE HERE, erupted into an open split, the union's general president ordered more than $12 million be transferred to local affiliates loyal to him and to outside groups, documents obtained by the Daily News show.
Bruce Raynor disbursed the money without the knowledge or required approval of the union's co-president, John Wilhelm, UNITE HERE leaders said this week. Those funds, they claim, were then used to finance a breakaway group from the union.
"I was a co-signer with Raynor on all checks and was supposed to approve all expenditures that weren't customary and recurring, yet I knew nothing about any of this spending," Wilhelm said.
On March 7, dozens of locals that were loyal to Raynor seceded from UNITE HERE. A few weeks later, the splinter group, representing about 100,000 members, founded a new organization, Workers United. That group promptly affiliated to the powerful Service Employees International Union.
But Raynor stayed on as president of UNITE HERE while he pursued a court battle with Wilhelm over control of the Amalgamated Bank, the only union-owned bank inAmerica.
On the night of May 29, Raynor resigned from UNITE HERE, hours before the start of a union hearing that was seeking to expel him. He then joined Workers United and was immediately named its new president.
"It's an absolute violation of federal labor law to use members' own money to foster a secession," Wilhelm said yesterday.
Raynor declined to respond to questions about his handling of UNITE HERE finances.
The claims of Wilhelm's group are "riddled with factual errors," Michelle Ringuette, a spokeswoman for SEIU, said.
"Since this matter is currently subject to litigation, there will be no point-by-point response to the allegations," Ringuette said.
The internal documents obtained by The News show that in the weeks leading up to the split Raynor ordered several sizable wire transfers without any approval from Wilhelm.
On Jan. 31, for example, he directed that $457,981 be paid from UNITE HERE to The Organizing Group, a political consulting firm with close ties to SEIU.
The head of The Organizing Group, Steve Rosenthal, then organized mailings and robocalls to union members that promoted the secession campaign of Workers United. He also organized a Web site for the group. Rosenthal did not respond to calls for comment.
Between Jan. 26 and Jan. 31, Raynor ordered another dozen transfers totaling $11.2 million for various UNITE HERE locals around the country.
"Bruce told the presidents he would wire them the money from the union's assistance funds and they were to immediately transfer it to a new outside group he'd set up, called Fund for the Future," said one UNITE HERE source who claims direct knowledge of the discussions.
On March 6, the day before those locals officially voted to secede, Raynor ordered more a dozen wire transfers sent to them, totaling another $500,000, for "reimbursement of expenditures."
Raynor and the leaders of SEIU have claimed for months that the dispute inside UNITE HERE is simply a case of a labor marriage that didn't work out.
In 2005, UNITE, the country's biggest apparel workers union, merged with HERE, the nation's main hotel workers union, to form UNITE HERE. But the cultures of the two groups never meshed, Raynor has said, so the only way to resolve the dispute was with a divorce and equitable division of the union's assets. Since UNITE brought the bank and other valuable property into the marriage, Raynor has said, those assets should stay with Workers United.
Wilhelm, on the other hand, clearly enjoys the majority support of UNITE HERE's members. He has accused Raynor and his backer, SEIU President Andy Stern, of orchestrating the split so they can take over unionization of the fast-growing hotel and gaming industries.
It has become a bitter and divisive confrontation in the entire labor movement. No one knows how it will end.
jgonzalez [at] nydailynews.com
For more information:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/17...
Bacon sends a very mixed message . His segment on KPFA 's Morning show does highlight struggles of working people . For that i give him props . But more often than not he has on Labor officials who are very cautious and very uninspiring . (Just because someone has a Spanish name doesn't make them a Cesar Chavez ! ) I wish he would have on far more rank and file leaders who not only are usually far more militant and articulate but present a more factually accurate picture of the struggle being discussed /
Bacon has also decided to ally himself with the most timid conservative and anti democratic elements within Pacifica , the so called '' Concerned Listeners''. Personally i find the Peoples Radio and I team crews far more in tune with Labor than the above , even if the Concerned Listeners get far more high ranking Union officials to endorse ther slate .
That's why he's quiet on this SEIU -NUHW struggle . He probably doesn't support Stern . But he doesn't have the courage to openly say so . Sad.
Bacon has also decided to ally himself with the most timid conservative and anti democratic elements within Pacifica , the so called '' Concerned Listeners''. Personally i find the Peoples Radio and I team crews far more in tune with Labor than the above , even if the Concerned Listeners get far more high ranking Union officials to endorse ther slate .
That's why he's quiet on this SEIU -NUHW struggle . He probably doesn't support Stern . But he doesn't have the courage to openly say so . Sad.
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