After the United Heathcare Workers West union in California was placed under trusteeship by its parent union, the Service Employees International Union, UHW leaders created a new union: the National Union of Healthcare Workers. As part of a large backlash from the takeover, thousands of Kaiser Permanentes workers are preparing to leave UHW for the new NUHW. The 50,000 member bargaining unit would be a significant blow to SEIU and a huge victory for NUHW leaders. The NUHW has already filed paperwork asking for elections at Kaiser and other UHW sites. SEIU has accused NUHW leaders of violating labor laws, and filed papers of their own with the National Labor Relations Board. At issue is whether the employees are allowed by law to switch unions mid-contract.
See "Kaiser's California workers move to switch unions", Evelyn Larrubia, Los Angeles Times, February 26, 2009