Kaiser workers to stay in service employees union
May 2, 2013, 11:47 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) – Thousands of workers at health care giant Kaiser Permanente have voted again to remain with the Service Employees International Union rather than switch to a smaller rival.
The National Labor Relations Board says Kaiser workers in California voted 58.4 percent to 40.6 percent in favor of the 1.9-million-member SEIU over the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
The vote was a replay of an election from nearly three years ago. But the previous result _ which SEIU also won _ was thrown out after federal officials said SEIU committed violations.
The new union was launched by former SEIU leaders who were ousted from the larger union in a bitter power struggle. Both unions have spent millions battling over about 45,000 Kaiser workers. It was the largest union election since the 1940s.
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