Workers United
Encyclopedia
Workers United is an American
and Canadian
union
which represents about 100,000 workers in the textile
, commercial laundry
, and gaming
industries.
After a lengthy and divisive internal leadership struggle within UNITE HERE
, the union's then-president Bruce Raynor led 100,000 members of the union's membership (primarily in its apparel division) in disaffiliating from the national union on March 24, 2009, formed a new union called Workers United, and affiliated the union with Service Employees International Union
(SEIU). The first president of the new union was Edgar Romney, a former UNITE HERE elected official. On May 30, Bruce Raynor resigned as president of UNITE HERE, Romney resigned as president of Workers United, and Raynor was named Romney's successor.
In May 2009, the New York Daily News
reported that Workers United was running a deficit of $300,000 a month, the deficit was expected to widen, that SEIU had loaned the union $1 million to shore up its finances, and that Workers United was considering asking SEIU for $1.3 million a month and suspension of all dues payments in order to keep Workers United solvent. The media later reported that an internal Workers United memo admitted that membership was closer to 100,000 than 150,000 and that membership was falling as employers refused to honor contracts with the union. An SEIU official confirmed that the loan had been made. However, on July 9, 2009, the National Labor Relations Board
held that Workers United was the bargaining agent for contracts at five major employers (Continental Linen Services, Premair of Cleveland, Gateway Packaging Co., Associated Hotels Duluth, and American Etc. Inc. d/b/a Royal Laundry).
Workers United won a significant organizing victory in the U.S. apparel manufacturing industry in July 2010. The workers, with the support of state politicians and Hollywood stars,, the workers won a contract and successfully pressured the employer to keep the plant open.
SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to end their dispute on July 25, 2010. As part of the agreement, ownership of the Amalgamated Bank will be transferred to Workers United (pending approval of federal banking regulators). UNITE HERE retained ownership of the union's headquarters in New York City and an additional $75 million in assets. The agreement also settles a jurisdictional dispute over which workers the unions will organize. UNITE HERE agreed to restrict its organizing in the food service industry to those workers at airline caterers, airports, businesses, convention centers, and athletic stadiums, while SEIU and Workers United will restrict its organizing activity in the industry to food service workers in state and local government, health care facilities, and prisons. Both unions will continue to organize food service workers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools and in higher education. The two unions had also disagreed over whether several thousand members of Workers United had been given the opportunity to choose which union they wished to belong to. In the new agreement, SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to let an arbitrator
decide to which union the workers wished to belong to.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
which represents about 100,000 workers in the textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
, commercial laundry
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
, and gaming
Gambling in the United States
Gambling is legally restricted in the United States, but its availability and participation is increasing. In 2007, gambling activities generated gross revenues of $92.27 billion in the United States. Commercial casinos provided 354,000 jobs, and state and local tax revenues of $5.2 billion...
industries.
After a lengthy and divisive internal leadership struggle within UNITE HERE
UNITE HERE
UNITE HERE is a labor union in the United States and Canada with more than 265,000 active members The union's members work predominantly in the hotel, food service, laundry, warehouse, and casino gaming industries...
, the union's then-president Bruce Raynor led 100,000 members of the union's membership (primarily in its apparel division) in disaffiliating from the national union on March 24, 2009, formed a new union called Workers United, and affiliated the union with Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
(SEIU). The first president of the new union was Edgar Romney, a former UNITE HERE elected official. On May 30, Bruce Raynor resigned as president of UNITE HERE, Romney resigned as president of Workers United, and Raynor was named Romney's successor.
In May 2009, the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
reported that Workers United was running a deficit of $300,000 a month, the deficit was expected to widen, that SEIU had loaned the union $1 million to shore up its finances, and that Workers United was considering asking SEIU for $1.3 million a month and suspension of all dues payments in order to keep Workers United solvent. The media later reported that an internal Workers United memo admitted that membership was closer to 100,000 than 150,000 and that membership was falling as employers refused to honor contracts with the union. An SEIU official confirmed that the loan had been made. However, on July 9, 2009, the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
held that Workers United was the bargaining agent for contracts at five major employers (Continental Linen Services, Premair of Cleveland, Gateway Packaging Co., Associated Hotels Duluth, and American Etc. Inc. d/b/a Royal Laundry).
Workers United won a significant organizing victory in the U.S. apparel manufacturing industry in July 2010. The workers, with the support of state politicians and Hollywood stars,, the workers won a contract and successfully pressured the employer to keep the plant open.
SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to end their dispute on July 25, 2010. As part of the agreement, ownership of the Amalgamated Bank will be transferred to Workers United (pending approval of federal banking regulators). UNITE HERE retained ownership of the union's headquarters in New York City and an additional $75 million in assets. The agreement also settles a jurisdictional dispute over which workers the unions will organize. UNITE HERE agreed to restrict its organizing in the food service industry to those workers at airline caterers, airports, businesses, convention centers, and athletic stadiums, while SEIU and Workers United will restrict its organizing activity in the industry to food service workers in state and local government, health care facilities, and prisons. Both unions will continue to organize food service workers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools and in higher education. The two unions had also disagreed over whether several thousand members of Workers United had been given the opportunity to choose which union they wished to belong to. In the new agreement, SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to let an arbitrator
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
decide to which union the workers wished to belong to.