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The Service Employees International Union will face a controversial decision this week as the executive board meets to determine the fate of a proposal intended to merge three separate branches of the union representing long-term care providers under one banner. The move would combine SEIU Local 6463 in Los Angeles, Local 521 in San Jose, and long-term care workers in United Healthcare Workers-West in Oakland. Members of the latter group, including United Healthcare President Sal Rosselli, have been vehemently against such a merger arguing that the move would undermine the voice, independence, and power of workers within the union. Supporters of the move, including SEIU President Andy Stern, argue that the combined strength of the three SEIU branches under one banner will help workers negotiate against corporations that operate on a global scale. The SEIU executive board recently held an advisory vote among the potentially impacted members to help make the decision on whether or not the units should merge. Only 26,000 of nearly 309,000 ballots were returned. Those that did respond voted in favor of the merger by 86 percent, but a separate 125,000 members mailed in protest petitions regarding the way the vote was conducted.