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Finding Aid to the Steve Early Research Files for The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor, 1996-2011
larc.ms.0386
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Title: Steve Early research files for
The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor
Date (inclusive): 1996-2011
Creator:
Early, Steve
Collection number: larc.ms.0386
Accession number: 2012/010
Extent:
7.5 cubic ft.
(6 cartons)
Repository:
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English.
Location: Materials are stored offsite; requires advance notice.
Abstract: Consists of materials collected and generated by Steve Early for his 2011 book,
The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor: Birth of a New Workers' Movement or Death Throes of the Old? The book examines labor disputes among unions, primarily related to union structure, membership rights, organizing strategies,
and contract standards. In particular, the book deals with the 2009 leadership struggle within UNITE HERE, and the campaign
by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to place United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) under emergency trusteeship
and subsequent formation of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), a new union by expelled UHW leaders. Organizations
and unions discussed in the book include SEIU, UHW, NUHW, UNITE HERE, Workers United (WU), the California Nurses Association
(CNA), the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR), and SEIU Member Activists for Reform Today (SMART). Contains interviews,
reports, articles, news clippings, research notes, correspondence, and audiovisual materials, including a 2008 interview with
Steve Early.
Processed by Labor Archives and Research Center staff.
Donated by Steve Early in 2012, accession number 2012/010.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Labor Archives and Research Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Labor Archives and Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Collection is open for research.
[Identification of item], Steve Early Research Files for
The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor, larc.ms.0386, Labor Archives and Research Center, San Francisco State University.
Files are arranged into series by chapter, as received from the author.
Consists of materials collected and generated by Steve Early for his 2011 book,
The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor: Birth of a New Workers' Movement or Death Throes of the Old? The book examines labor disputes among unions, primarily related to union structure, membership rights, organizing strategies,
and contract standards. In particular, the book deals with the 2009 leadership struggle within UNITE HERE, and the campaign
by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to place United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) under emergency trusteeship
and subsequent formation of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), a new union by expelled UHW leaders. Organizations
and unions discussed in the book include SEIU, UHW, NUHW, UNITE HERE, Workers United (WU), the California Nurses Association
(CNA), the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR), and SEIU Member Activists for Reform Today (SMART). Contains interviews,
reports, articles, news clippings, research notes, correspondence, and audiovisual materials, including a 2008 interview with
Steve Early.
Series 1 contains material used for writing the preface, introduction and first chapter, "The Quest for Union Renewal." Consists
of SEIU convention materials, clippings, research notes, and correspondence on Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR),
also known as the Puerto Rican teachers' union, as well as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
and the California Nurses Association (CNA). Also includes research and interview notes for individuals profiled in the book,
notably Andy Stern, Rose Ann DeMoro, Mary Kay Henry, Sal Rosselli, and Wade Rathke.
Series 2 comprises research materials for Chapter 2, "Taking the High Road to Growth?" Records pertain to SEIU conflict management
strategies in relation to health care unions and health care corporations, including Yale-New Haven Hospital and Tenet Healthcare.
Also includes documents related to health care organizing, home health care workers, and the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
unionization. Contains interview notes on Barbara Lewis and Bob Muehlenkamp.
Series 3 consists of materials used in the writing of Chapter 3, "A Scramble for New Members." Comprises correspondence, articles,
and research notes generated from the conflict between SEIU and CNA at the 2008 Labor Notes Conference, and between SEIU and
NUHW in regards to the 2009 election in Fresno, California.
Series 4 comprises research materials for Chapter 4, "Dial 1-800-MY-UNION?" and includes articles and correspondence pertaining
to SEIU Member Resource Action Service Centers (MASC) and Member Resource Centers (MRC) which were created to handle grievances,
and the implementation of call center services in California and Illinois. Also includes notes from interviews with Tom Balanoff,
SEIU Executive Board Member, and Local 1 staff.
Series 5 contains Chapter 5, "Who Rules SEIU? (and Who Doesn’t)," research materials. Includes a Rutgers University study
on SEIU restructuring as well as notes, correspondence, clippings, and articles regarding investigations in to SEIU leaders
and members of SEIU's International Executive Board.
Series 6 materials, used in the writing of Chapter 6, "The Mother of All Trusteeships," relate to the SEIU's 2008-2009 campaign
to place United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) under trusteeship and subsequent formation of NUHW by former UHW leaders. Consists
of legal documents, protest flyers, news clippings, and notes and memos from interviews with UHW lawyers, former UHW officials
John Borsos and Paul Kumar, and former U.S. Labor Secretary, Ray Marshall. Also includes case studies of ealier SEIU trusteeship
cases in Rhode Island and California.
Series 7 comprises research materials used in the writing of Chapter 7, "Ivy League Amigos No More." Includes interview notes,
news clippings, articles, and correspondence pertaining to UNITE HERE's 2009 conflict in leadership resulting in then-President
Bruce Raynor breaking away and forming Workers United (WU), a new union affiliated with SEIU.
Series 8 contains research materials and interview notes used in the writing of Chapter 8, "The Progressive Quandary." The
bulk of the materials pertain to the SEIU/UHW/UNITE HERE conflicts as seen from various sides. Includes copies of a letter
signed by leading academics and political activists regarding SEIU's move to put UHW under trusteeship. Also includes correspondence
between SEIU leaders and staff in the aftermath of the letter's publication.
Series 9 contains material on Chapter 9, "How EFCA Died for Obamacare." Comprises news clippings, interview notes, and organizational
documents related to 2008-2010 health care and labor law reform campaigns.
Series 10 contains materials used in writing Chapter 10, "Labor Day: The Sequel." Includes correspondence, notes, and articles
documenting the 2009-2010 battle between NUHW and SEIU to represent workers at Kaiser Permanente. Also includes campaign materials
and legal documents generated after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) called for elections to determine bargaining
rights for Kaiser workers in Southern California.
Series 11 consists of research materials and notes generated while writing the conclusion, "Signs of a New Workers' Movement?"
Includes articles by Steve Early in SMART News! and notes and correspondence pertaining to SEIU Local 221 elections in July
2009, and the SEIU and CNA alliance in March 2009.
Series 12 consists of audiovisual materials containing interviews with leading union organizers, as well as an October 27,
2008 interview with Steve Early on Pacifica radio.
Steve Early is a freelance labor journalist who worked for the Communications Workers of America for twenty-seven years. In
addition to
The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor, he is the author of
Embedded With Organized Labor: Journalistic Reflections on the Class War at Home.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Stern, Andy, 1950-
California Nurses Association.
Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico.
Lerner, Stephen.
National Union of Healthcare Workers.
Regan, Dave.
Rosselli, Sal.
Service Employees International Union.
United Healthcare Workers-West.
Labor disputes--California--History.
Labor disputes--California.
Labor disputes--Case studies.
Labor disputes--Cases.
Labor movement--California--History.
labor unions and health insurance
Labor unions--California--History.
Labor unions--California--Jurisdictional disputes.
Labor unions--Corrupt practices.
Labor unions--Elections.
Labor unions--Elections--Corrupt practices--United States.