Published: March 5, 2010
I have been a fan of Adam Meister’s for some time. He challenges all of us in the media and in politics to be more open, transparent and accountable. But before Adam chides local politicians for taking contributions from local unions (Our local elected officials need to stop taking money from public unions), SEIU in particular, he should look at the facts here on the ground. In Baltimore, unions are bolstering our communities, raising working standards for all, and providing important educational opportunities.
A little research revealed that unions, especially SEIU, are still needed, important to good government and protect workers and employers on a lot of different levels.
SEIU has two locals in Baltimore, both of which deal primarily with private employers. 1199SEIU represents service and care workers in area hospitals and nursing homes, including Johns Hopkins, GBMC, Sinai, and Maryland General hospitals. 32BJ SEIU represents private security officers and cleaners who protect and maintain commercial and government office buildings in the Baltimore
region. Together, they number over 4,500 Baltimore area residents who are SEIU members.
These workers benefit from union representation because they can speak with one voice when it comes to negotiating contracts, fighting for their rights on the job, and building careers in their industries with the help of union training programs. By creating better working conditions, unions also raise the standards of their industry.
Beyond the benefits that the union membership provides on the job, SEIU members are also active in our community. 1199SEIU provides free services to the entire city, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program which gives free income tax preparation for all at the 1199 union hall at 611 N. Eutaw Street. In the last four years, participants in the EITC campaign have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds on their income taxes. And much of SEIU’s advocacy work is directed at measures that benefit all, not just union members. They were a prime mover behind the state effort to expand Medicaid funding to up to 100,000 uninsured Marylanders. Here in Baltimore City, SEIU is active in promoting progressive housing policy, including the landmark inclusionary housing bill and the city’s land bank, along with other measures that benefit the community at large.
It is true that SEIU is proudly political – the two SEIU locals in Baltimore are known for their member-led grassroots political activities, voter registration drive efforts, and massive get-out-the-vote mobilizations. SEIU members know that their participation in electoral politics is vital to protecting their jobs and rights as well advancing a progressive vision of justice and equity for all.
Unions help workers raise up themselves, their families, and their communities. That sounds like a good thing for Baltimore to me.
That’s the view from here.
