Labor Leader Is Parting, With a Shot (against Gov. Eliot Spitzer ’s planned cuts in health care NYT)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/30/nyregion/30labor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Labor Leader Is Parting, With a Shot

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: January 30, 2007

Dennis Rivera, the president of New York’s largest health care union, announced yesterday that he would step down, but not without issuing a surprisingly pointed broadside against Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s planned cuts in health care spending.

In 17 years as president of 1199 S.E.I.U., the state’s most politically powerful union, Mr. Rivera has been perhaps the most formidable and visible labor leader in New York politics.

He announced that he was leaving his post to become chairman of a new one-million-member national health care union being established within his local’s parent, the Service Employees International Union. Mr. Rivera said the new organization would help unionize more health care workers and make the service employees a more potent political force, especially in the push for universal health coverage.


Dennis Rivera, right, the departing president of 1199 S.E.I.U., with a possible successor, George Gresham.

Mr. Rivera, whose Manhattan-based local has nearly 300,000 members, said he would step down on June 15, when his term ends. He added that he was not leaving sooner because he wanted to protect his members and the state’s hospitals from the cuts that Mr. Spitzer was expected to propose tomorrow.

FULL story at link.

[napi21]

1. What's really going on here? Ireadin the article that 90% of the

increasesMr. Rivera got pushed through go to increases for union members, but he worked this out with Pataki. HHe also saidalthough most of the union's political support has gone to Dems, he believes NOW they should back the Pubs.

I don't trust Pitaki at all, and I don't know a thing about this guy. So far at least, I do trust Spitzer.

I want the union members to getas much money as they can...realistically,but is that $$ going to the union LEADERS or to the real workers????

Anyone know what the real story is here?

[gulfcoastliberal]

2. I'm getting a vibe that SEIU is like the "DLC" of unions..

Attacking dems, cozying repukes and corps... Sounds like a 5th column, at least politically. I don't know anyone in SEIU so I hve no idea how truly effective they are.