Sacramento County, CA - Home Care workers in Sacramento County have a new two-year contract that protects employees' wages, improves their healthcare, and ensures that seniors and people with disabilities will continue receiving the services they need to live independently at home.

Martinez, CA - The Central Labor Council of Contra Costa County passed a resolution stating that to receive the Council's endorsement, members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors must support maintaining the retirement benefit for the County's home care workers. Currently the workers, members of the Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers - West (SEIU-UHW), are negotiating a new two-year contract, but the County is attempting to eliminate the pension program, even though it would cost the county more to eliminate the program than continue to keep it.

In the resolution, the Council concluded, "that the Central Labor Council of Contra Costa County strongly urges our County Board of Supervisors to order the Public Authority to withdraw their contract proposal terminating the pension plan for IHSS providers; and, be it further resolved, that a Supervisor seen in support of terminating the pension for IHSS providers will not receive the endorsement of this Council."

Oakland, CA - Following the announcement of the union election results for Kaiser Permanente nurses, psych-social workers, and professionals in Southern California, Steve Trossman, communications director of the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW), issued the following statement:

"While today's election results are disappointing, the fact is only about 2,600 SEIU-UHW members have chosen NUHW over the past year, in contrast to more than 55,000 SEIU members who have chosen to stay united in our union.

NUHW Knows that if Elections Are Held They Will Lose

OAKLAND - After months and months of saying they wanted union elections held immediately at hospitals and nursing homes in California, former SEIU-UHW officials who were ousted from the union are now trying to stop 29 elections that are ready to proceed for more than 4,000 workers.

The former union officials, who were ousted last January for misusing union funds and undermining members' democratic rights, formed a group in January 2009 called the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). NUHW filed for elections with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to "decertify" SEIU-UHW and have the workers come over to their organization. Now, they have filed unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB to get the elections stopped.

After A Year of Demanding Elections, NUHW Now Says Giving These Workers a Vote is "Unfair"

OAKLAND - In a stunning turnaround, the ousted leaders of the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) now say they want to stop union elections for more than 4,000 workers because giving the workers a democratic vote would be "unfair."

In a letter to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), a group started by the ousted leaders, is insisting that elections be halted at 29 hospitals and nursing homes unless the board capitulates to their demands for elections at other facilities.

4,000 Healthcare Workers Seek Vote to Join More Than 55,000 Others Who Have Already Chosen to Stay United in SEIU

OAKLAND, CA - Healthcare workers at 26 California hospitals and nursing homes are seeking elections to join more than 55,000 other union members who have already chosen to stay united in the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), rather than switch to an organization formed by the union's ousted leaders.

The SEIU-UHW members are asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to schedule the elections as soon as possible so they can continue to improve their jobs and patient care without the distraction of another organization in their facilities.