“It’s always been important to pay dues and have a strong union. But it’s even more important that our money goes to the right place. SEIU officials have wasted millions to enrich themselves and retaliate against healthcare workers, and we don’t want to give them another cent. We want to use our money to fight for better healthcare for our patients and better jobs in our communities.”

—Angela Glasper, Optical Clerk, Kaiser Antioch

“SEIU has shown us they’re corrupt, undemocratic, and act just like another boss. An absolute majority of workers at our hospital have signed petitions to choose NUHW as our union. We don’t want any other union to represent us.”

—Joe Ruocco, senior lab assistant at Western Medical Center for 35 years

“Three years ago, we signed petitions to leave our old union and join with other CHW healthcare workers in SEIU-UHW. All the rumors we heard were ‘we’ll lose everything’ and ‘we’ll have to start from scratch’. None of it was true then, and it’s not true now. We kept what we had, and won an even better contract. Management can’t unilaterally change any conditions of work without bargaining with all of us, and we’re not about to give up anything we’ve achieved.”

—Michelle Brown, LVN, Marian Medical Center

“SEIU-UHW’s new appointed management calls themselves ‘trustees,’ but I don’t know anyone who trusts them. I trust the stewards and bargaining team members we elected. SEIU wants to give away our benefits that aren’t theirs to trade. Let’s kick them out!”

—Lety Marquez, Phlebotomist, Los Alamitos Medical Center

“It is an outrage that our own union could work against us in secret. This never happened when our local union was under our control. We have to get rid of SEIU if we want to have a real voice in our hospital again.”

—Tony Aidukas, Rehab Support Specialist, Desert Regional Hospital

“For the first time in the history of our union, an SEIU UHW-W union rep shut me out of a meeting with HR. Maybe that’s business as usual for SEIU, but we’re not going to be part of a union that meets with our boss before they meet with us. We’re staying with NUHW!”

—Will Brennan, PBX Operator, Olympia

“SEIU-UHW’s new management created a rigged Kaiser bargaining ‘council’ where we only have two representatives for 45,000 members, and we’d always be outvoted. If we stay in SEIU, we’ll have no say at all in negotiations with our employer.”

—Bebs Nonato, Registered Nurse, Kaiser Sunset

“Instead of protecting us, SEIU UHW-W is teaming up with the boss to retaliate against us and stop us from having a free choice. We need a union that’s on our side. We want to stay united in NUHW with the leaders we elected. They helped us build our union and win the best healthcare contract standards in the country. Why would we want to be part of an SEIU union run by unelected staff we’ve never heard of? That’s why I’m voting for NUHW.”

—Janet Shepherd, Respiratory Therapist at Northridge Hospital Medical Center

“SEIU isn’t here to help us. They’re here to tear apart our union because we spoke out against them. We’re going to vote to keep our union together in NUHW. It’s clear that employers want SEIU—but caregivers are voting YES for NUHW!”

—Martha Vazquez, Radiology Technician at St. Joseph’s in Stockton

“Just one day after the takeover and SEIU is already making deals with our bosses without us. We knew SEIU was corrupt and it’s clear this will be business as usual if SEIU stays in control of our union. That’s why we need out, NOW!”

—Starla Rollins, Community Hospital of San Bernardino

“This never would have happened with our elected leaders. SEIU had to kick them out to go behind our backs. We’re joining NUHW, the union with leaders we’ve trusted for years.”

—Bill Kahmar, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, SF

“SEIU UHW-W cancelled an arbitration over back pay for hundreds of workers at Providence—all because they wanted to take control of our union and shut us out of decisions.”

—Carmen Curi, Lab, Providence

“SEIU sold us out in 2007 when they made a deal with Tenet behind our backs. They agreed to subcontract 12 percent of our bargaining unit positions, and we had to fight Tenet and SEIU for a year to protect our jobs. We want a union where we’re in charge.”

—Cristina Rodriguez, Lab Tech, Los Alamitos

“We tried for years to reform SEIU and defend our rights, but they wanted absolute power. They took over SEIU-UHW and destroyed it— it’s not our union anymore.   We’re joining NUHW to stay united and protect all the gains we’ve made.”

 —Michael Fenison, Respiratory Therapist, Centinela