The widely anticipated break has come to pass: The United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW) has severed its ties to the Service Employees International Union. And as SEIU officials at Washington, D.C. headquarters refuse to accept the decision by the 150,000-member California affiliate, the prospect of prolonged labor strife, possibly even violent, has become real. Led by its longtime president, Sal Rosselli, the Oakland-based UHW announced on Wednesday, January 28 its formal secession from the parent organization and its intention to form a new union, the National Union of Healthcare Workers. More than 100 local officers and board members approved the action. The move occurred only one day after Stern had replaced its leadership, alleging misuse of union funds for political purposes and refusal to go along with a reorganization plan.
