If you had to guess, who would you say the most pro-labor people on the planet were?
You might say it’s the unions. After all, big unions like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) regularly denounce “union-busting” by large corporations and government entities as immoral and unfair.
But you’d be wrong.
This week, the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2 went on strike protesting the unfair bargaining conditions and lack of bargaining in good faith of their employer.
The employer? SEIU.
In this brief video on Twitter, SEIU staffers can be seen hanging a sign from their headquarters building in Washington, D.C., that reads “SEIU: Stop union-busting. Bargain a fair contract!”
The description of the video explains, “Unionized staff at SEIU have authorized a strike to win pay that keeps up with the cost of living because Mary Kay Henry and April Verrett continue to utilize corporate tricks and delay tactics instead of bargaining with us in good faith. #UnionsForAll starts at home!”
Whether the contract for OPEIU Local 2 members employed by SEIU is fair is an open question, one that certainly can’t be answered at first glance.
Perhaps if the contract was negotiated openly, with the public and members of their union allowed to observe the process, the answer would be more clear. But that’s obviously the last thing SEIU wants.
For the union, it’s easier to be the bully shaking down taxpayers than to take care of its own staff members.
Actions speak louder than words. If anyone is busting up SEIU, it’s SEIU.