Home ›

Convention Day 1 Roundup

  • The theme registry has been rebuilt. Turn off this feature on production websites.
  • The theme registry has been rebuilt. Turn off this feature on production websites.
Submitted by Elana Levin on June 30, 2009 - 12:05pm

Monday was the first day of UNITE HERE's convention. The most pressing issue facing UNITE HERE is the fight between their union and Workers United. Instead of trying to diffuse the conflict at the UNITE HERE Convention the leadership of the union has pushed for an escalation of the fight despite the fact that workers from both unions have called for an end to the conflict through arbitration.  Brave delegates from Service Workers United, UNITE HERE Local 2552 presented Convention delegates with a resolution supporting binding arbitration to end the dispute between the two unions.  They provided delegates a number of official background documents, the first many of them have seen. They made their case to the an audience primed by their leadership to reject their calls for peace.    

Watch Service Workers United member Ronald Johnson's testimony from the floor:

Service Workers United members reflect on the convention:

"They ignored us.  We were treated like second class citizens.  We were not given the chance to be heard.  There was no human consideration for the people--the members--it was all about them." - Dolores Creese, Service Workers United member.

"I know it was scripted.  It was more of an attack after we put out our resolution." -Ronald Johnson, Service Workers United member.

Watch more SWU members call for abitration.

Nearly a third of the people in the convention hall during the vote were paid staff of UNITE HERE. Not surprisingly the resolution was defeated in a voice vote.

Despite the fact that union members and labor movement leaders have called for a quick settlement to the fight, UNITE HERE used the resolution presentation to escalate their rhetoric and promote the conflict. In the face of a proposal to resolve the conflict, President Wilhelm moved to ensure there would be no dialog in the convention hall-he was the only speaker who responded to the proposal.

It is clear though that the struggle to change the position of Unite Here's leadership has begun.
Be sure to read PutWorkersFirst.com throughout the day for coverage of the convention and dialog to end the conflict.  As Service Workers United President Kurt Edelman said in a statement "Yesterday afternoon the leaders of Unite Here had to listen to their rank and file members as they made a plea for peace." - we hope there will be some movement towards it.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 2, 2009 - 2:17pm.

The Unite Here convention, was totally one sided, and as a Delegate of SWU, thought it was unfair that we were disrespected, and treated so poorly. We are a part of Unite Here, as well, but because of the fighting that is going on, which is no fault of ours, as President Wilham said himself, didnt stop our brothers and sisters to treat us unfairly,and take every opportunity, they had to verbally attack us. In closing, I would just like to express my deepest thanks to all my fellow SWU delegates for all their support throughout this whole "ordeal".

Submitted by Tim (not verified) on July 7, 2009 - 4:04pm.

As a member of SEIU I must agree that there was too much disagreement between the groups and yes this was one sided. Unions are supposed to unite us not separate us. This is where the money goes, for this reason. Though it helps to pay salaries, its not intended for acts of power and showmanship