Unite Here leaders battle for control of union
President Bruce Raynor sues co-president and seven others, accusing the faction of seeking to seize power of the union.
Daniel Massey Crain's New York February 6, 2009
The general president of New York City-based Unite Here has filed suit against his co-president and seven others for allegedly trying to take over the union, placing a marriage that five years ago appeared destined to boost the strength of organized labor on the brink of collapse.
In a suit filed late last month in the U.S. District Court in New York, General President Bruce Raynor accused the man he shares power with - John Wilhelm - and seven others of violating the union's constitution.
The Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union in 2004 to create a nearly 450,000-member organization that was supposed to dramatically increase workers' ability to organize. As part of the deal, Mr. Raynor and Mr. Wilhem, whose official title is President/Hospitality Industry, were to share power.
But that's not what is happening, according to the complaint. In the suit, Mr. Raynor alleges a faction of former Here officials is seeking to seize power and take control of the union's financial resources. Unite was a wealthy union, with assets including real estate in New York City and the Amalgamated Bank, which has nearly $5 billion in assets. Here had little in the way of financial assets, but added 250,000 members to the union's ranks at a time when the dying textile industry threatened Unite's membership.
The suit alleges Mr. Wilhelm, Local 6 business manager Peter Ward and the other former Here officials - who control the union's general executive board - forced votes during a December meeting in Long Island City on issues including budget, organizing and trusteeship of union affiliates. In the suit, Mr. Raynor says the two leaders are supposed to work together to reach consensus when they disagree, but that Mr. Wilhem is instead using an Here-friendly majority on the board to resolve disputes.
"Wilhem and his supporters have acted, and continue to act, contrary to the letter of the Constitution and the spirit of the merger by seeking to undermine the power-sharing agreement and to place Wilhelm and other former-Here officials in de facto control of the union," the complaint states.
The eight defendants issued a statement saying the lawsuit "has no merit." They accused Mr. Raynor of recklessly taking over locals in Phoenix and Detroit and of trampling on the rights of members and elected officers. "Democracy will prevail in Unite Here," the statement said. "No one person can successfully override the union's elected leadership and its membership."
A spokesman for Mr. Ward, who heads the powerful hotel local in the city and was named as a defendant, said the suit was baseless.
"This is a ridiculous lawsuit based on a tortured reading of the Unite Here constitution," the spokesman said. "We're not the least bit intimidated by it. We look forward to seeing them in court."
Mr. Raynor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Labor experts say the marriage may be beyond being saved.
"Mergers are difficult and I think that whether they're going to be able to work this out is a real question," said Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
Meanwhile, Andy Stern, president of the powerful Service Employees International Union, has written to Mr. Wilhelm and Mr. Raynor suggesting a merger with his organization. Mr. Wilhelm responded on behalf of the majority of the executive committee saying the suggestion would be considered at a board meeting next week. Labor insiders say it's extremely unlikely Mr. Raynor would accept a merger with SEIU because he would lose too much power. Here, on the other hand, might need a merger with another union because it has scant resources on its own.
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