Sonny Laymatina: MSEA vs. MSEU

This nonsense doesn't happen in other labor unions. Read More...

MSEA vs. MSEU

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 11:17pm
Posted by Sonny Laymatina

Most thinking people know MSEA has a lot of problems: i.e. politically co-opted and corrupted, etc.

Part of the problem in my opinion is that MSEA really isn't a labor union.

It is a State of Maine managers' association that has evolved into collective bargaining.

That's why MSEA is one of the few so called labor unions that has supervisors and managers as members.

In most other labor unions there is a very bright line between worker and manager and only workers can be members.

Not so with MSEA!

As such there are conflicts of interests all over the place.

For instance, MSEA Field Reps often times represent workers and their managers in a work place controversy.

In fact my Field Rep told me he/she experienced this conflict at DHHS and DOT.

One week he/she was representing the worker vs. supervisor in an investigation meeting.

Then the following week he/she was representing the supervisor vs. manager in the same matter.

As a result both worker and supervisor were reluctant to discuss their problems with this Field Rep.

This nonsense doesn't happen in other labor unions...

Because once a worker gets promoted to management they're out of the union.

However, MSEA is so ridiculous that they even have a State Personnel Officer as their present President.

I'm willing to bet there is no other labor union in the US or Canada...

That has a Management Personnel Officer or Director as President.

So perhaps the path to liberation is to start dividing up MSEA into two different unrelated labor organizations:

MSEA and MSEU.

Maine State Employees' Association for Managers and Supervisors.

Maine State Employees' Union for all other non-managerial staff.

And perhaps a stepping stone on that path to liberation would be forming a Democracy4SEIU Chapter here in Maine.

As this Chapter grew in size and influence it could then become MSEU and secede from MSEA.

Or just change MSEA's name to MSEU by majority vote at the next convention and throw all managers & supervisors out.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

NO MORE BUNKO! EN TOTO PRONTO!

PURGE THE TAINT AND REPAINT!