SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 - March was on 9/06/08. Noted labor scholars denounce SEIU retaliation against its own local union. "This is a desperate attempt by Stern to distract attention from the growing scandal involving local union presidents he appointed and promoted," said an elected, 15-year steward in SEIU, referring to Stern's announced intention to place her local in trusteeship. SEIU stewards and members voted to defend their union against SEIU's hostile takeover.

This continues the internal problems SEIU has with the type of organization they are imposing on all their locals, with or without consent of the local. The process of creating mega-locals ensures that local members can not be elected to positions of influence and those positions fall to Stern's appointees. The SEIU union members want to preserve their voice in their own affairs, a voice SEIU wishes to silence forever. The SEIU members additionally have to cope with the loss of their local labor representatives, who are being replaced by the SEIU mega-call-center. Personal knowledge of the workplace and the confidence of the members is sacrificed in the name of cost savings. So which scandal does the savings fund?

EAA, on the other hand, continues to provide knowledgeable well-trained labor representatives who are each assigned to particular departments of the City. They are knowledgeable about EAA's MOU's and the individual workplaces. This permits effective representation on workplace issues from the informal level to arbitration. EAA labor representatives are continually successful at negotiating additional EAA-represented positions and paygrade advancements for EAA members.

The march article appears at Market Watch, part of the Wall Street Journal, and can be accessed by clicking here.