Catherwood LibraryILR School

Five years ago UNITE (the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) merged with HERE (the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees). The conglomeration was ideal at the time - with both groups working well together and bringing benefits to the table: HERE focused on groups perfect for organizing, while UNITE had plenty of cash on hand. The merger is currently less pleasant, with leaders of both groups clashing and suing each other. Several regional boards have since voted to separate from UNITE HERE and formed the new ?Workers United?. To make matters more complicated, the Service Employees International Union suggested that those workers be absorbed into its union ? something UNITE HERE officially rejected and now deplores as SEIU provides funding to Workers United. In Minneapolis, local 17 (originally a HERE union) is blaming SEIU for the UNITE HERE split. Meanwhile, UNITE HERE officials claim the merger will eventually work out after all of the current disputes are settled.