A Test For Union Leadership

As a 12 year member of SEIU, I have seen corruption in my own local and the way SEIU International and Stern protect their chosen leaders. As a rank and file third generation union member, I find SEIU which I once trusted and respected has gone down the wrong road for the sake of Stern's agenda. The rank and file members are no longer important only organizing new members who will also be forgotten once they sign their cards.

Labor needs to rethink Stern's agenda as it sells out workers on the job sight and is too friendly with the corporate and elected bosses we the rank and file work for.

Labor needs to get back to its roots with the rank and file's voices being strongest not the paid staff.

Tyrone Freeman's behavior and the deafening silence from Andy Stern and other prominent labor leaders is a complete affront to working families all across the nation. A federal grand jury should be convened to investigate whether Stern, Freeman or any other members of the SEIU Executive Board knowingly violated state or federal statutes, circumvented federal reporting rules or misrepresented themselves. This is a very serious matter for the people. Labor unions fight for social and economic justice, their function as change agents in our society is essential. The movement cannot tolerate Freeman's questionable practices and nonsensical judgment.

I find these accusations offensive and short sited. Under Mr. Freeman's watch I currently now have quality healthcare (where I never had had it before) and as a cancer survivor would never have had the oppourtunity to recive the care that I needed. I take care of people for a living and 6434 has taken care of me in this trying and life threatning time of my life. This may have been bad judgment but it's certainly not illegal. I do hope our union leadership continues it's good work.

This corruption and permanent poverty advocated by the leader of this local needs to be exposed.

The SEIU dissenter posting above doesn't give his or her name, but the opinion expressed is one I often hear from SEIU members. In recent years -- and months -- Stern and the union's international leadership have been at war with longtime California figures in SEIU, most notably Sal Rosselli. Joe Mathews Irvine senior fellow, New America Foundation www.newamerica.net/blog/blockbuster-democracy/

Lets start by telling the truth about this times article.
This is about Sal Rosselli President of UHW, his business and lifetime partner Adam Reeves and Paul Pringle trying to hold onto power. Lets see if we got this right.

*Adam Reeves - Sals' Partner, owns a business called "Its in the Bag" Graphics Design company in SF. Worked with the LA Times for 13 Years developed the LA Times Graphic Design Department. Currently has the LA Times as a client.

*Paul Pringle - had relationship with Adam Reeves prior to Adam leaving to SF to develop his company and also helped Adam secure contract with LA Times.

*Sal Rosselli, President of SEIU UHW - Adam Reeves long time partner. Owns home with Adam in SF where they have the "Its in the bag" company listed as the mailing address. Adams company has been investigated by the IRS for not paying taxes. The house used as the companies mailing address has been used as a front for loans for the company and then transferred back to Rosselli many times, just to avoid paying taxes.

This whole article has been mis-leading so bad it makes me sick. This paul pringle person did the whole article based off an angry former employee. Its unbelievable this reporter still works for the LA Times and the editors should also be ashamed of themselves for letting a story like this out especially when a WAR has broken out between Russia and Georgia. Very distasteful and insulting to our Russian and Georgian citizens.

This story is not about Tyrone Freeman and his spending, its about another attack on an African American Leader about to become the largest labor leader in CA and probrobly the world.

Just look what the conservatives are doing to Obama. In one day they wrote two books attempting to discredit him.

If Paul would have put his personal feelings to the side, this would never have been printed.

I dont think there is much hope of this making it to the blog because this blogger is also a former LA times employee.

Unions as a whole are a good thing, and they serve an important role in the workplace. As stated above, unions are also definitely part of the public trust and it is quite unfortunate to see SEIU violate that trust again and again by ineffective bargaining, poor democratic principles, and a grandiose agenda that is way out of touch with it's members needs.

Is the current scandal Stern's concern? SEIU wields enough financial and political clout to sweep this whole thing under the rug. With the stroke of a pen a generous SEIU advertising campaing can quell the tongue of a struggling newspaper; even a large one. That's why there are seldom follow up articles or expose' series written about unions.

SEIU's political clout and huge LEGAL budget will easily discourage any government agency from questioning how LOCAL's leadership spends their finances, and confound a Grand Jury. Once again it will proactively use its LAWYERS in a "damage control campaign". Later a few phone calls to some important political recipients of the unions benefits. And last a "smoke screen campaign" to distract the attention of it's members from the union's own corruption and ineffectiveness to some fabricated front burner issue we should all be concerned about.

SEIU's wasteful spending habits should not come as a surprise to anyone. They can be readily seen at each union leadership meeting. The elected representatives are softened with generous per diem and wining and dining, all expenses paid trips. In an age of video and internet communication, the union will rather pay huge fees for hotels, banquets, and splendid evening parties so that an agenda can be rubber stamped, instead of setting up an effective online system that can publish information, collect votes, and minimize travel needs. When travel is necessary it should not differ from what members are entitled to when travelling for work.

Meanwhile the union has another face to the members: It shows how frugal it is when it has a luncheon for the member workers - a canned soda, some chips and a hot dog lunch is typical at most employee campaigns where they'll tell you how they're struggling financially and need to raise your dues, and ask you to sign a promise that you won't de-certify.

Lets face it, the glipse we've seen into the corruption that has taken place at one Union LOCAL is very possibly a good representation of what takes place across the board.

So is the answer to the question of the day: "My union right or wrong" or is it "Let's make annual unbiased indepenent audits mandatory for all locals (to clean house) so that this doesn't happen again!"?

I am surprised it has taken this long but Tyrone has gotten some of his staff people (Randy, in particular) to appear on message boards to defend him.
If Randy thinks there is corruption in other locals, he needs to expose it and report it to the papers. But to claim that this is an attack on a 'black leader' is absolutely bogus -- the LA Times is attacking union corruption when they see it, and in this case the corrupt union leader just happens to be black.
This has nothing to do with Obama. When Obama left law school he become a community organizer working in poor communities, and he made little money. Tyrone works in poor communities but decides to pay himself $200,000 per year, and doles out money to his wife, mother-in-law and even tries to pay for his wife's agent using the treasury of the union. A union comprised of low wage workers making $9.00 per hour should not be paying for the President's wife's talent agent -- that is for sure.
Seriously, if that is not corruption, I do not know what is.
He should step down before he causes any greater damage to himself or the larger LA labor movement.

First off, I'm a former LA Times employee, and continue to contribute to the newspaper. That said, I have no problem criticizing the Times, its reporters, or its management. In fact, I have very little positive to say about the paper's current direction. I don't know the reporter, Paul Pringle well, but he has an impeccable reputation and I've found his reporting to be very, very solid when he's written on things I've also covered. I've never heard of the Adam Reeves person you mention. I know nothing about contracts. I never saw a reporter in my 8 years at the Times have any influence over who received contracts from the paper. Reporters rarely even know people from the business side. The conspiracy theory outlined here seems, at best, implausible. But more important, the post does not dispute any of the facts of the story. This union local president spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in union funds on payments to family members. Blame the messenger all you want, but those facts have not been challenged. And that kind of behavior is simply unacceptable. It's not only union members who are hurt by this behavior. Freeman is very much a leader in the labor movement that governs Los Angeles, and rightfully so. He's a terrific organizer. The labor movement has sold itself -- and in many cases, acted -- as a reform effort, organizing around the cause of rebuilding Los Angeles' middle class. Whatever you think of the policies pursued by labor, the movement is significant and its cause is worthy. But, in large part because of its power, the labor movement needs to be transparent and accountable not only to its members but to the public. Maintaining public credibility is crucial. And Freeman's spending undermines that credibility. That's why, despite the loyalty and affection other union leaders feel for Freeman, he has to go. Joe Mathews Irvine senior fellow, New America Foundation www.newamerica.net/blog/blockbuster-democracy/

I agree with the writer, this has nothing to do with a Black man, because there are alot of black man that are trust worthly, its about a Union Leader that should be held accountable for his right or wrong.
And besides that when they accused Sal Rosseli for almost something similar, did they say "white man" He was investigated and was also charged, oh dont let me forget "the menbers" . The members were charged also by the international, in which Tyronne supported.
But thanks the Lord all charges were DIMISSED

So Tyronne should be treated like the rest, and color doesnt matter.
But of course Tyronne is Stern close friend, so a third party should be doing the aduit,so its fair.

Ashamed
Black Woman

Dear Randy/Get it Right,
The staff from Tyrone's union need to take a class in 'spinning' because they are not doing a very good job on these message boards.
Tyrone's problems have nothing to do with "Sal Roseeli" or "his lifetime partner."
The fact is that Tryone spent hundreds of thousands of his members hard-earned dues dollars to pay off his wife, his mother-in-law, his brother-in-law, expensive golf tournaments, and fancy cigars. All Tyrone needs to do is explain why he is using 10 per cent of his members money to finance his mother-in-laws childcare service? That is a question that needs to be answered.
And while he is at it, Tyrone should also explain why he spent over $10,000 dollars at a fancy Beverly Hills cigar bar -- a bar I am sure very few, if any, of his members have ever been to. And he should explain why he spent $400,000 of his members dues to sponsor a fancy golf tournament, a fundraiser no less, that made NO money -- in fact it lost money.
I dont know why the staff at Tyrone's union (whatever it is called -- it seems to have 7 different names)feel the need to write on these blogs spinning this into something it is not. Instead of trying to spin this into some story about people having relationships with reporters, the staff at Tryone's union should spend their time explaining why Tyrone has spent all of his members hard earned dues on outrageous expenditures. And while he is at it, he should explain why a $10,000 cigar bar tab, a $50,000 talent agent contract for his wife, a $400,000 golf tourament, and a huge contract to his mother-in-law, benefit home care workers that make $9 per hour.
One last thing . . . Tyrone should explain how he can sleep at night knowing that he makes over $200,000 in salary (on the books) and drives around in a fancy car, while his members make $9 per hour.
Instead of 'spinning' the folks at Tryone's unions should do some 'explaining.'

Hey, Tyrone, have a nice weekend, bossman! You made my week!
It's been better than any soap opera, and it's all true; you know it, babe!
Hey, smoke one of those cigars for me, will ya, bro?
I can't wait for the other shoe to drop!
You da man!!!!!!!!!

Andy Stern and the SEIU are to blame for the corruption at Tyrone's local. For years SEIU leaders have told International leaders about the corruption in the local. Instead of addressing the allegations, Andy Stern has turned a blind eye. Instead of taking the allegations seriously, Andy Stern and his team have propped up Tyrone because, well, he is a 'yes man.'
The SEIU International has sent a steady stream of high-ranking officials and staff people into Tyrone's local. Since the local was created, they have sent staff from DC to manage the employer relationships, political relationships, etc. How on earth could all of these SEIU staff leaders come through the local and not recognize the serious problems at the local.
Sadly, this situation is beginning to remind me of the priest abuse scandale in the Catholic Church, where high-ranking cardinals and bishops swept serious allegations under the rug for fear they would damage the organization. Well, in this situation, not only did the SEIU not take the allegations seriously, they continue to promote a questionable leader.
I hope for the sake of the labor movement, that this scandal does not become the church abuse scandal. I hope we have heard and seen the worst of it. In order for the SEIU leaders to stop the damage they are doing to the labor movement, they need to place the local under trusteeship and replace Tyrone Freeman. That will begin the process of healing for the entire labor movement. it would also demonstrate that SEIU is not attempting to 'sweep this issue under the rug.'
Andy Stern should talk to his friend Cardinal Mahony because I think Andy would learn from the valuable lessons the Cardinal has learned in 'damage control.'

Sadly, friend, we have not heard or seen the worst of Tyronegate. The worst is yet to come!
As for depending on Andy Stern to clean up the mess, do NOT hold your breath. Andy Stern is in deep with Freeman. Freeman is a key player on the Stern-Burger team's plan to turn SEIU into a company union.
A cover-up is a safer prediction. Stern will need a very large and stink-proof blanket.
The weird thing is SEIU is losing big money keeping Tyrone's dysfunctional operation afloat.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall when those two huddle!