Trial Set for March 22 for Former SEIU-UHW Leaders

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A lawsuit against a group of former union officials who were ousted more than a year ago from the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) will go to trial in federal court here March 22.  

SEIU alleges that the former leaders started a new, rival union while still officers of SEIU-UHW and used SEIU-UHW resources to sabotage union operations after they were ousted from office.

Former SEIU-UHW President Sal Rosselli and several of the other defendants were removed from union office on Jan. 27, 2009 when SEIU-UHW was placed in trusteeship. The defendants immediately formed a new organization, the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), with the purpose of trying to raid SEIU-UHW bargaining units and move members to their organization.

The allegations to be tried include claims that Rosselli and the defendants, among other things:

• While they were officers and employees of SEIU-UHW, conspired to use resources of SEIU-UHW to start up a rival organization.
• While they were officers and employees of SEIU-UHW, entered into a conspiracy prior to the trusteeship to weaken SEIU-UHW and its ability to represent members.
• Destroyed tens of thousands of e-mails and destroyed or stole documents needed to bargain contracts and represent members.
• Violated the terms of a confidentiality agreement that all of the defendants signed as employees of SEIU-UHW. The agreement required them to turn over to SEIU-UHW and cease using any proprietary information, including SEIU-UHW records and membership lists, after leaving SEIU-UHW.

SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW) is the largest hospital and healthcare union in the western United States with more than 150,000 members. We unite every type of healthcare worker with a mission to achieve high-quality healthcare for all. SEIU-UHW is part of the 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the nation's fastest-growing union. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.

SOURCE SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West