SEIU And Vilsack At Odds

A potential Democratic presidential candidate, IA Gov. Tom Vilsack has earned the temporary enmity of one of the nation's most powerful labor unions because they believe that rules he sanctioned appeared to weaken collective bargaining rights of child care providers -- and may have favored another a rival union seeking to organize those same workers.

The Service Employees International Union, which claims about 3,000 active members in Iowa, ran a radio ad last week calling Vilsack's actions "undemocratic."

In Jan., thousands of child care providers formally signaled their preference to join a union -- what unions term a "card check." That's after Vilsack signed an executive order requiring the state to bargain with the providers. Both SEIU and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees campaigned for the cards of workers and each turned in thousands.

Vilsack spelled out the procedure an independent mediator will use to decide which union turned in the most cards. Vilsack also signed an executive order splitting the pool of workers in two -- one pool representing registered workers like licensed day care providers and the others representing those who are not registered but eligible for state subsidies.

SEIU believes that decision will hurt the workers' ability to bargain collectively, as two separate unions would have less clout than one bigger union. [MARC AMBINDER]

After weeks of counting, AFSCME claimed victory -- but both unions are dueling over about 2,000 ballots.

SEIU says the authentication procedure endorsed by Vilsack left out hundreds of non-registered workers. SEIU also claims that the process ignored the will of others who chose both unions but later signed statements saying they'd prefer SEIU. The mediator adjudicating the dispute will use a verification list the SEIU believes is flawed.

AFSCME had lobbied Vilsack to allow only registered providers to join unions and had focused its resources on signing up those workers. SEIU wanted to organize the entire spectrum and went door-to-door to inform both registered and unregistered workers of its efforts.

Both unions say that contracts negotiated with the state will probably increase subsidies paid to workers who care for children from poorer families. Those families rely on government aid to help pay for the care. Critics wonder where the money will come from and they worry that day care costs will rise for families currently able to afford it.

AFSCME and SEIU's on-again, off-again relationship defies explanation, except in one sense: when it's mutually beneficial to work together, they do. When their unions' individual interests are at stake -- they fight like dogs.

The two unions are jointly funding a campaign to criticize lawmakers who vote for President Bush's budget cuts -- including Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA), the House budget cmte chair who is running for IA GOV. They're collaborating on efforts to represent child care workers in two other states even as they knock heads in IA.

Last year, SEIU won the rights to organize nearly 50,000 workers in IL, much to the consternation of AFSCME, who early this year declined to give IL GOV Rod Blagojevich their coveted political endorsement.

The two joined to endorse the presidential candidacy Howard Dean in '03. In '05, they split quite markedly when SEIU left the AFL-CIO. SEIU's Andy Stern and AFSCME's Gerald McEntee, both type A personalities, often do not get along and have different visions of union life.

AFSCME is the more influential of the two unions in IA and enjoys a close relationship with Vilsack.

The SEIU ad, which ran briefly last week, asks listeners whether they'd want Vilsack to "choose what you're going to eat for dinner." Says a deep gubernatorial voice: "Perhaps you should have two deserts."

After more analogies, the tag line begins: "So why would Iowa child care providers let the Governor decide which unions we should join?"

The narrator continues: "350 home health care providers...meant to choose only SEIU" but Vilsack "is ignoring" their preferences that "that doesn't make sense."

The ad urges union members to give Vilsack an earful.