Video and text transcripts of a debate between Sal Rosselli, former member of SEIU's International Executive Board, and Dave Regan, current member are available on the website of Democracy Now! For background on the current debates see Benson's Union Democracy Blog. See also AUD's Bloglines page for feeds from SEIU member websites and blogs.

From Benson's Union Democracy Blog "Andy Stern's appeal resonated among intellectuals, especially those who had criticized the labor movement precisely because they felt it had neglected the most oppressed. It was only natural that Stern would begin with the moral support of intellectuals who had responded to the early appeal from Sweeney, like those in SAWSJ. He could enroll in his campaign civil rights campaigners and students who had been active in a roster of worthy social causes. But it turned out that there are more things in the Stern-SEIU philosophy than enrolling the oppressed..."

From Union Democracy Review #171 In December, nurses associations in four states, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington, withdrew from the United American Nurses, the national AFL-CIO union of registered nurses.. "The absence of a national union robs NY nurses of the ability to have a national voice on issues such as staffing ratios, universal health care and basic human and labor rights. We believe in a national democratic union run by staff nurses and we will continue to struggle to make that a reality."

From Union Democracy Review #171 "Anthony Holden, has been a member of the Operating Engineers for 28 years; he is one of the rare black members of the 1,500- member Local 98 in Massachusetts... A 50-year-old woman laborer, who prudently remains anonymous, has complained to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Laborers Local 731 and the DeFoe Corporation, both in New York..."

From Union Democracy Review #171 By Herman Benson "Bill Fletcher writes, "Black labor must not only speak for the Black worker but Black labor must be the voice speaking on behalf of all workers." I'd like to suggest one area in which this excellent principle could be put into actual practice, namely, in the construction trades where, I am convinced, black and white cooperation could lead to progressive reform for all..."

From Union Democracy Review #171 "Complainants say that members were falsely assured that United Transportation Union autonomy would be preserved and its constitution transferred "intact" into the new SMART (Sheet Metal, Air Rail and Transportation Workers) constitution. Only after the voting did it become clear that dozens of UTU constitutional provisions would be modified or eliminated..."

...The pressures of confronting highly organized groups of employers may genuinely require the organization of big strong locals centrally directed. That has always been the case in the mass production manufacturing industries dominated by the big corporations. Where that is the case, it is necessary to cultivate all the institutions and practices of internal union democracy to assure membership control of their own unions. But the SEIU seems to be moving in the opposite direction; its leadership has been forthright about its preference for tight top-down control. It is implanting the spirit of subservience into the new structures....

For years the international officers of the Amalgamated Transit Union were warned that Local 1181, one of their biggest, was infiltrated by organized crime. They ignored the information until 2007 when Matty the Horse Ianniello, along with two local officers pleaded guilty in federal court to dominating the local for the Genovese crime family... Now that the international has done nothing effective to clean up the local, the question will inevitably arise: will law enforcement authorities and the federal courts use their authority under the federal RICO statute to reorganize the local? A reform group has appealed to AFL-CIO President Sweeney to do something. Will he act, and in time?...

"...Led by USW staff member, Mike Zielinski, workers learned about union democracy and how to take strategic action..." They organized their own opposition caucus, the Aggrieved Workers Committee. They led wildcat strikes; they demanded an election and got it! With 3,000 workers voting, a new leadership was elected by large margins."

Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Local 100, has perfected the art of how to lose friends. He was elected in 2000 to lead this union of New York subway and bus drivers at the head of a caucus that had campaigned for more democracy and militancy in the union. Once elected, he did adopt a more militant stance in the face of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the mean and overbearing employer of most of his members. But democracy? That was something else...

"The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) announces the availability of the Department of Labor Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) File in the Online Public Disclosure Room. Collective bargaining agreements, labor organization annual financial reports, labor organization constitutions and bylaws, employer reports, labor relations consultant reports, and labor organization officer and employee reports are now all available to be viewed and printed. "Private and public collective bargaining agreements covering 1,000 or more workers, excluding railroads and airlines, are included in this file. Copies of agreements covering fewer than 1,000 workers are not included. The National Mediation Board is responsible for copies of collective bargaining agreements covering railroads and airlines."