Special To LaborNet

This document has been distributed within the SEIU In California to help
SEIU staffers explain why San Francisco janitors voted to decertify SEIU
Local 1877.

SEIU State Council regarding 1877 decertification
Talking Points on objections to the SF Janitors' Election

POINTS

1.      We are demanding that the National Labor Relations Board investigate
this fraudulent election to stop outsiders and the employers from stealing
the vote from San Francisco janitors.

2.      San Francisco janitors have the right to determine our own future,
and we are not going to allow USWD, the employers, and outsiders that were
brought in to vote decide our future for us.

3.      The list of voters had 3,000 names on it, even though there are only
2,000 janitors eligible to vote. That's 1,000 people who are not San
Francisco janitors!

4.      There were widespread reports of janitors from other cities like the
East Bay and Oregon voting, retired janitors voting, someone who worked 2
hours 2 years ago voting, and the guy who owns the liquor store down the
street voting.  These aren't San Francisco janitors, and they had no
business deciding our future.

5.      All these outsiders voted, yet there were many REAL San Francisco
who went to vote and were told that someone had already voted in their
place!

6.      There have also been numerous complaints from janitors that the
employers pressuring people to vote for USWD.

7.      The last thing San Francisco janitors need is employers running our
union. And that's exactly who is going to win if this election is certified:
the employers!

8.      If USWD is certified as our union, 2,000 San Francisco janitors will
lose our contract, our health care plan, our pension plan, our strike fund,
and our union hall. We'll lose 65 years of progress as SEIU that have made
San Francisco janitors the second-highest paid janitors in the country.

9.      In a fair election, you will see that the REAL San Francisco
janitors will choose to keep our contract and benefits and not gamble with
our future. We are determined to press forward with our demand for this
investigation so outsiders are not allowed to take our contract and our
health care and everything we have worked for away from us.

10. If the USWD really cares about San Francisco janitors, and not their own
narrow profit and interests, they will join us in calling for this
investigation so outsiders are not allowed to steal the election. No matter
who wins, the decision should be made only by San Francisco janitors.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

So What is it that you want to see happen?

We want the National Labor Relations Board to investigate this fraudulent
election to stop outsiders from stealing the vote from San Francisco
janitors. We are not going to allow USWD, the employers, and outsiders to
take away our right to decide our own future.

Are you looking for a new election?

We strongly believe an investigation will show that outsiders stole this
election from San Francisco janitors. If that's the case, then the NLRB will
order a new election. In a fair election, you will see that the REAL San
Francisco janitors will choose to keep our contract and benefits and not
gamble with our future. We are determined to press forward with our demand
for this investigation so outsiders are not allowed to take everything we
have away from us. 

Isn't this just sour grapes. SEIU lost, so why not accept it?

We don't believe this election reflects what REAL San Francisco janitors
want. For example, the list of voters had 3,000 names on it, even though
there are only 2,000 janitors eligible to vote. That's 1,000 extra people
who are not San Francisco janitors. There were widespread reports of
janitors from other cities, retired janitors, and people who have never
worked as janitors improperly brought in from the outside to vote.

We've also heard numerous complaints from janitors of employers pressuring
people to vote for USWD. The last thing San Francisco janitors need is
employers running our union. And that's exactly who is going to win if this
election is certified: the employers!

As janitors in San Francisco, we have the right to determine our future, and
we are not going to allow, the employers, and outsiders to take away our
right to decide our own future.

Didn't people really vote against SEIU because they don't like the union's
weak representation and the fact that the union is run from Los Angeles and
DC?

We have been members of SEIU for 65 years, and during that time we have
achieved the second-highest wages in the country, free health care, and a
solid pension. San Francisco janitors have always determined our own future
and had our own leaders, and that has not changed.

What has changed is that the USWD wants to allow outsiders to decide our
future. But we are not going to allow them or anyone else betray San
Francisco janitors by taking away our right to decide what union we have.

If the USWD really cares about San Francisco janitors, and not their own
narrow profit and interests, they will join us in calling for this
investigation so outsiders are not allowed to steal the election. No matter
who wins, the decision should be made only by San Francisco janitors in a
fair election.