SEIU to File Motion to Dismiss CNA Restraining Order

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-17-2008/0004795414&EDATE=

Service Employees International Union taking immediate legal steps to
dismiss temporary restraining order filed yesterday by California Nurses
Association

WASHINGTON, April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) today announced plans to file a motion to
dismiss the temporary restraining order filed yesterday by the California
Nurses Association against SEIU President Andy Stern and SEIU.

"This is an entirely frivolous injunction being used for political
purposes," said Attorney Stephen Berzon, a partner with Altshuler Berzon
LLP, the San Francisco-based law firm handling the case. "The CNA designed
their suit to interfere with SEIU's legitimate, constitutionally-protected
free speech activity. The CNA ran into court and procured the order without
giving SEIU notice or an opportunity to be heard. Once SEIU gets its day in
court, this illegal injunction will be overturned very quickly."

This week's legal maneuvering by the CNA is the latest tactic in a
campaign of untruths and misinformation led by the California-based union.
After waging a vicious "vote no" operation at Catholic Healthcare Partners
(CHP) hospitals in Ohio that sabotaged a three-year effort by nurses and
hospital workers to win a fair process to freely choose whether to form a
union with SEIU, the CNA has inaccurately characterized efforts by CHP
workers and supporters to engage CNA leadership over the union's anti-union
tactics as "harassment." Video footage shows what the CNA called "5 male
staffers harassing CNA Board members" was actually a registered nurse and
respiratory therapist going door-to-door to try to speak to CNA leadership:
(available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGw2QJTgw4I).

The temporary restraining order -- filed Wednesday afternoon by the CNA
without providing notice to either SEIU or SEIU President Andy Stern -- was
issued under the California Code of Civil Procedure 527.8 intended for
"Employees subject to violence or threats of violence at the workplace."

"Under no circumstances have SEIU members or staff harassed CNA members
or leadership," said Andy Stern in response to the temporary restraining
order. "It's shameful that the CNA is continuing to spread misinformation
and distorting reality to divert focus from the real issues -- the
anti-union tactics that sabotaged the opportunity for more than 8,000
nurses and other hospital workers in Ohio to freely choose whether to form
a union with SEIU."

For more information visit http://www.ShameOnCNA.org.

[Better Believe It]

1. It Was An Andrew Stern Love-In!

"Under no circumstances have SEIU members or staff harassed CNA members
or leadership," said Andy Stern


Sure. The fellow in the purple shirt was just one of several hundred "friendly greeters" Stern sent to welcome CNA members and staffers to a national union conference.

The little guy was just trying to get past union security to shake a nurses hand!

Isn't that right Andy?

[Better Believe It]

2. The CNA Ruined Stern's Company Sweetheart Deal!

Stern also charged the California Nurses Association with "anti-union tactics that sabotaged the opportunity for more than 8,000
nurses and other hospital workers in Ohio to freely choose whether to form a union with SEIU."

Well Andy, talk about lies and half-truths.

1. The employers asked for an election, not the workers, with only the SEIU listed on their ballot!

2. The SEIU did not have a union organizing committee established and did not file a single union card signed by a hospital worker asking for representation by the SEIU!!!

Well, the bosses had looked forward to a very friendly and cooperative relationship with Stern and his pals. After a bogus election, and in return for adues check-off agreement, Stern's representatives intended to make little or no demands on the employers that would improve the lives of the hospital workers. And the CNA ruined that lucrative deal!

Naughty, naughty!

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SEIU’s Philosophy in Action

When the boss picks your union

Under a backroom deal with Catholic Healthcare Partners in February, 2008, the employer, not the workers or union, filed for elections to impose SEIU as the union in eight Ohio hospitals without providing a single signed union card. SEIU agreed to not try to influence the election. Employees were specifically forbidden from talking about the union or the election. This model eliminates the role of workers in organizing a union, or building the power of the union in the workplace through collective action.

“At some of the hospitals no organizing committee existed, and no contact with workers had taken place for years, according to Colleen Gresham, an Ohio nurse and top supporter of SEIU. ‘We were actually surprised by the secret vote. We didn’t know it was coming’.”
— Labor Notes, April 2008

The Ohio Hospital Association praised the agreement as refreshing.
— Springfield, Ohio News-Sun, March 13, 2008

http://www.servingemployersinsteadofus.org/