SEIU in Chicago threatened similar tactics against the Eugene Victor Debs dinner sponsored by the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter. As with the Labor Notes conference, DeMoro voluntarily withdrew from the event.
The following is a report by Ken Paff, founder of Teamsters for a Democratic Union, and Labor Notes activist, of the SEIU disruption of the Labor Notes banquet that honored Rose Ann DeMoro, CNA executive director.
If you missed Matt's earlier post, there is a blood feud between the California Nurses Association and SEIU. SEIU operates under a corporate structure where the DC leaders, in essence, feel they know more than the local leadership, and impose their plans on local members. They are willing to accept a lesser settlement in return for increasing union density. The quest for increased union density often means that local concerns are not addressed, grievances are not handled, etc. The CNA, on the other hand, is a militant union of RN's that takes on all comers. It was instrumental in defeating Schwarzenegger's attempts to pander to extreme right wing republicans at the beginning of his first term. Below the fold is Ken Paff's report:
