WASHINGTON, July 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Workers United and UNITE HERE today announced a settlement agreement on behalf of the unions' members and elected leadership that will bring to a close the protracted dispute between the unions. 

Newly-elected SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, who had made settling this dispute a top priority of her administration, issued the following statement:

"Working families all around this nation are facing the most profound crisis since the Great Depression. There are 26 million people out of work and far too many more who are facing cutbacks, layoffs, and benefit reduction.  When hardworking people are losing the roof over their head or borrowing money to pay for groceries, we know we have more work to do.  This moment calls on all of us in the American labor movement to dedicate ourselves to being part of the solution.

"Despite the tensions that have existed between our unions over the past months, John Wilhelm, Bruce Raynor and I have worked together to find common ground and we've been able to put our differences behind us.  We agree that we cannot be spending our time fighting one another over workers who are already represented when there are far too many people who want and need a voice on the job.  Our resources and our attention must be put toward solutions for the crisis workers face right now.

"We need to drive change for people in this country.  None of us can go it alone.  Moving forward, SEIU plans to link arms with our allies in labor and the progressive movement and forge stronger relationships with communities to be a more aggressive force pushing for the demands that help working people on the job, at the bargaining table, and with public policy makers all around our country."

BACKGROUND ON THE AGREEMENT

The agreement, reached after months of negotiations, resolves all issues related to jurisdiction and asset distribution and establishes a process for determining the rightful bargaining representative for the remaining disputed units.

The agreement provides clarity and resolution to a divisive issue in labor, and at the same time, enables each union the opportunity to increase its focus and resources on addressing the larger problems faced by members and workers who have no union. 

With 2.2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy.

SOURCE SEIU

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