From: Art art2thebone@yahoo.com
Date: 06/12/2007

HERE'S SOME information you may find relevant:

The strategy to beat the merger came from an SEIU international staff member who did not want to be named.

The strategy is to make the City of Los Angeles aware that 721 is a different organization than 347, the local that was certified as the exclusive bargaining representative of over 9,000 city employees. This will take place at the Employee Relations Board and sites numerous examples and the Employee relations Ordinance.

The resolution would be to grant us "exclusive jurisdiction" , or control of our union as made possible in the new charter.

We have learned that 721 plans to turn all work site issues, such as grievances, over to union stewards. This will allow union reps, now known as "work site organizers" to work on gathering COPE cards, political campaigns, and other such things. This leads to the question, what are we paying dues for?

We have learned that one of 721's first actions will be to raise our dues. This is possible through the new interim board that we did not elect.

Annelle Grajeda, an SEIU employee, former general manager of 660, and most important, a non-member has been appointed as 721's president.

Our union staff is still being held hostage by SEIU by not granting them contracts at this time.