Dear Editor,
Part of the problem with SETU Local 790, as your article alluded to, is the disconnect between the leadership and rank and file members. Robert Haaland, who responded with a letter of his own, is rumored to be on the chopping block and some people even think the Mayor has cut a deal with him to enlist his support. I don’t know if there’s any truth to these widespread rumors, but I would not be surprised to see him go because his advocacy for causes other than labor often overshadow the interests of the many SEIU members who pay his salary with their union dues. His passion is admirable, but he needs to prioritize the issues correctly and set aside his personal aspirations and own political agenda-at least for as long as he represents SEIU workers.
Like Haaland, a number of people among the leadership of SEIU 790 (but by no means all of them) sometimes lose sight of what union solidarity means. Whenever the Mayor dangles a carrot in front of them, they conveniently forget about supporting those individuals, like Gerardo Sandoval, who have fought on behalf of labor their entire lives, Their loyalties are easily bought, which undermines trust throughout the rank of its members. We need to stand strong together, not sell out when an adversary tosses us a bone.
I believe San Francisco is a union town. We need to reignite the fire behind labor issues and strengthen our position within the progressive community. While I used to believe it should start with the leadership, now I believe it must start with the rank and file. The leadership has abandoned us.
Adrian Bermudez
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