California People’s Organizations Supports SEIU-UHW West Platform For Change

Los Angeles –A number of community organizations and key Asian Pacific Islander leaders in California unanimously thrown their unequivocal support for SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW-West) and its Platform for Change

The UHW-West Executive Board representing 150,000 health care workers in California and led by its president Sal Roselli, recently ratified its Platform for Change to express its avowed principles for building a successful international union.

The Bangladesh Association of California composed of 42 organizations: the Banglaladesh Unity Federation of Los Angeles led by Majib Siddiquee, Esq. who is also the chair of Publicity Committee: the Society of Guerillas and Scouts Inc. (SGSI); the largest Filipino World War II Veterans organization in California led by Commander Jack Vergara. Peping Baclig. Chairman of West Region of the 4,000 strong American Coalition of Filipino Veterans (ACFV). Commander Franco Arcebal, Vice President of ACFV; Eugene Mondok, Commander of the United Filipino American Veterans (UFAV); Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) : Coalition of Filipino American Organizations of California led by Arturo P. Garcia; Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California Executive Director Aquilina Soriano-Verzosa; Association of Filipino Workers (AFW) President Salvador Lledo ; the Coalition of Lions Club; the Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP) led by Ago Martinez staunchly supports UHW-West leaders Sal Roselli and UHW Vice-president Jay Valencia’s principled stand for the union and its members.

Roselli lamented the fact that “some SEIU leaders have gone in different directions-jeopardizing the original union’s shared vision. Our national union is moving in a different direction that differs with our shared vision and jeopardizing our ability to organize workers and bargain better conditions for our members, patients, residents and consumer we care for.”

Basic and Fundamental Differences

Roselli has accused Andy Stern, SEIU International union President of advocating for “growth at all cost” mentality that have shortchanged union member “ In a New York Times article by Steven Greenhouse appearing last February 29th.. “Andy is leading an effort for more centralization of power.” Roselli said, “We believe it’s fundamentally important to empower the workers. The more power the workers have, the stronger the union is.”

Platform For Change

Acting decisively, Roselli with Jay Valencia, Administrative Vice President member/Political Constituency Program Specialist reaffirmed the core principles that the platform of the UHW-West promotes:

* Union Democracy: One member, One Vote.

* Organizing the unorganized in our Core Industries with Active Participation of Worksite Leaders,

* Improving the lives of HealthCare Workers and Those We Care For,

*Power for Workers in Our Society

UHW-West is hopeful that they can build a successful 21st century International Union with the power to win big. The community organizations supporting UHW-West are equally optimistic and are enthusiastic to support Roselli’s leadership and the platform for change. They can foresee that the workers will be able to build a genuine workers power.