Written by FN Brill
The WSP has just received a copy of a letter sent to Marchel Smiley, the President of the African-American Caucus (AFRAM) of the Service Employees Industrial Union (SEIU). The letter, signed by 4 SEIU-AFRAM officers accuses the SEIU staff of inviting only African-American SEIU members and their families to a “rally”. The rally was actually the Labor Notes conference. The letter goes on to accuses SEIU staff of being dishonest as to reason for the trip and putting members and their families in harms’ way.
The SEIU is in the middle on conflict between it and the California Nurses Association as well as internal faction fight between the California based United Healthcare Workers – West (UHW-W) and the National Board of the SEIU. The signatories of this letter are all members of UHW-W. We have no reason to disbelieve their serious claims but acknowledge that they are likely using the information in that internal fight.
Another piece of information not yet circulating in the discussion was the sudden heart attack death of SEIU member, Richard Price, on the bus coming home from the Labor Notes confrontation.
This letter is circulating in Detroit Labor e-mail lists and can be downloaded as a .pdf below:
