As we all know, SEIU is reorganizing it's locals in California, as it has already done all over the country. Many members of the Los Angeles based Local 347 are unhappy with this. "When you mess with our union, you mess with our jobs", is the message that is floating around various worksites. We feel that by creating larger unions, that the "local" is being taken out of the union and the ability to expect fair, responsive representation will be limited.

It is no secret that leaders among 347's membership are planning to fight back and preserve our Local. "We won't have our voices taken from us, and we won't go down without a fight." With our staff silenced by SEIU headquarters in Washington D.C. , it's now up to the members to fight for the Union. When several of our members met with SEIU President Andy Stern, they let him know that we were not given a choice in this matter. His message was clear: he does not believe in our members. He did not believe that we could accomplish his vision for SEIU without reorganizing.

What he failed to see was what we had accomplished as a local already. Rather than build on this, he wants to force us to become a much larger union that he feels will be stronger. Of course he didn't ask us about this. As a matter of fact, many of our members are not even aware this is happening.

Andy Stern and SEIU have underestimated us. The only way to preserve our Local and fight this reorganization is through "Union". This group is being set up for the members of Local 347 and all of it's affiliates. We also welcome all of our brothers and sisters in other locals who are being affected by this. Together, through "union", we hope to defeat this reorganization, which could jeopardize, our jobs, our benefits, retirements, and livelyhood. Our only chance is to UNITE.