OCTOBER 7, 2008 - SEIU's failure to perform basic union functions, their ongoing corruption, and misspending continue to appear in the news at an alarming rate. Most troubling is that this is happening in SEIU locals in all parts of the nation, many with leadership appointed from above, suggesting that the troubles are more widespread and endemic to SEIU as a whole, rather than confined to an individual issue at an individual local.

10/03/08 In California, the San Jose Mercury News begins with the question: "Who's watching the store at expanded SEIU local?" They continue, "Recently consolidating five units into one giant local, SEIU neglected a crucial detail in San Jose. The union blew the deadline to reopen contract negotiations with the Santa Clara County Office of Education." This was in a contract covering 1,350 teachers' aides, bus drivers, clerks and warehouse workers. Under the law, the county office could have told SEIU: tough luck. Fortunately for the members, their employer agreed to go ahead and open talks anyway, thus saving SEIU's bacon. There is very little additional in the article but you can verify this by clicking here.

10/07/08 At the United States Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roberts objected to Collins' (the SEIU attorney) argument, and stated, "We are talking about an infringement on the objecting members' First Amendment rights, and your answer is, 'Trust us, we’ll treat you fairly?' ... That’s not the usual standard we apply to infringement of First Amendment rights." This is according to the First Amendment Center in their commentary on a case involving how union funds collected at a local can be spent by the national. Various justices seemed critical of both sides in this dispute. You can access the entire article by clicking here.

10/07/08 In their article titled "How SEIU Got Montgomery County Workers' Contact Info Is Mystery" the Philadelphia Bulletin reports that SEIU illegally obtained the personal information of workers in an organizing drive. Staffers complained about SEIU organizers visiting them in their homes, despite some of the workers being unlisted. "There is no one I trust to do the investigation in the commissioners' office" stated County Commissioner Castor. EAA suggests to Philadelphia that they look at management support of SEIU for the source, as SEIU in Los Angeles has already been found guilty of illegally obtaining employees' personal information from management in a similar situation in SEIU raiding during 2003. The article is linked here.