The Parellel Press

One of the more interesting aspects of the Intertubes is that stories will be reported upon in English as well as in Spanish here in California. The appearance of Dolores Huerta in Fresno on Wednesday afternoon was no different, as it caught the attention of one of the LA Metro Area's Spanish online newspapers - and may well have made it into print as well. The original Spanish will appear in green, while the Google translation will appear in red. Any parts that have been altered by me (because Google translate couldn't find the word) will also appear in red but italicized...

Huerta contra SEIU

Avala formación de nuevo sindicato de trabajadores sanitarios, en nueva fase de contradicciones y escisiones intestinas en movimiento sindical

• Róger Lindo |
• 2009-05-29
• | La Opinión

Dolores Huerta decidió entrar a la reyerta entre la dirección nacional del Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria de los Servicio (SEIU) y una fracción del disuelto Sindicato de Trabajadores Sanitarios (UHW), que ha dado pasos para crear su propio sindicato en abierto desafío a su antigua dirigencia.

Huerta against SEIU

Supports formation of new health workers' union in new phase of internal contradictions and divisions in labor movement

Dolores Huerta decided to enter the brawl between the National Union of Workers in the service industry (SEIU) and a fraction of the dissolved union of health workers (UHW), which has taken steps to establish their own union in open defiance of its former leadership.

La legendaria acompañante de César Chávez y una de las pioneras del movimiento sindical campesino se pronunció en Fresno a favor del sindicato en formación, la Union Nacional de Trabajadores Sanitarios (NUHW).

"Estos trabajadores están luchando por recuperar su sinidicato y sus salarios", dijo Huerta, y agregó que el NUHW va a conferirles la voz y la representación que necesitan para defender sus intereses.

The legendary companion of César Chávez and a pioneer of the UFW in Fresno pronounced her support of the union in formation, the National Union of Health Workers (NUHW).

"These workers are struggling to regain their union and their wages," Huerta said, adding that the NUHW will give the voice and representation that they need to defend their interests.

La próxima semana, diez mil asistentes sanitarios a domicilio que estaban afiliados a la UHW votarán en Fresno para decidir si se incorporan al nuevo sindicato.

El UHW, una organización con 135 mil miembros, fue intervenida por la jefatura nacional de la SEIU a principios del año por supuestas violaciones a los estatutos de la SEIU cometidas por sus dirigentes. Éstos, incluyendo el presidente de la seccional, Sal Roselli, fueron desplazados por la SEIU y reemplazados por un junta de fideicomisarios nombrada por la dirección nacional de la SEIU.

Next week, ten thousand home care workers who are affiliated with UHW in Fresno will vote to decide whether to join the new union.

The UHW, an organization with 135 thousand members, was taken over by the national SEIU earlier this year for alleged violations of the statutes of the SEIU by their leaders.These, including the president of the local, Sal Roselli, were displaced by the SEIU and replaced by a board of trustees appointed by the national leadership of SEIU.

En respuesta a esa acción, los sindicalistas desplazados empezarzon a dar los primeros pasos para la formación de la NUHW.

Eliseo Medina, uno de los fideicomisarios nombrados por la SEIU para manejar la UHW, y antiguo compañero de luchas de Huerta, criticó el aval .

"He conocido a Dolores por más de 45 años y siempre la he respetado, pero en este caso está del todo equivocada. Esta abogando por algo que sería extremamente riesgoso para los trabajadores sanitarios de Fresno", dijo por teléfono.

In response to that action, the displaced union leaders commenced to take the first steps for the formation of the NUHW.

Eliseo Medina, one of the trustees appointed by the SEIU to manage UHW, and a former companion in past struggles with Huerta, criticized the endorsement.

"I have known Dolores for more than 45 years and I have always respected her, but in this case she is entirely mistaken. She is advocating something that would be extremely risky for health workers in Fresno," he said by telephone.

Señaló que si alguien debe entender lo que es la unidad entre trabajadores es la ex cofundadora del Sindicato de Campesinos, y aseguró que los sanitarios de Fresno que voten por NUHW se arriesgan a perder sus salarios y beneficios que ya tienen, pues estarían alineándose con líderes "que fueron incapaces de protegerlos" en el pasado.

"Estamos en un momento difícil y lo que menos necesitan es estar aislados del resto de sus compañeros en la lucha que se avecina con el Gobernador", dijo Medina, un nombre tan respetado como el de Huerta en el terreno sindical.

He said that if anyone should understand what is unity among workers it is the former co-founder of the UFW, and said that health care workers of Fresno who vote for NUHW risk losing their wages and benefits they already have, since they would be aligning themselves with leaders "which were unable to protect them" in the past.

"We are in a difficult moment and what we need is less isolation from the rest of our comrades in the struggle that lies ahead with the Governor," said Medina, a respected name such as that of Huerta in the field of unions.

It is unfortunate that I have to say this, but this piece was so absolutely biased in favor of The Purple Plague that it almost hurts my eyes just to read it. Note that there is no actual question-and-answer pull quote from Sra. Huerta - the material from which she is quoted came from her speech at Eaton Plaza. It is also worthy to note that Sra. Huerta had some choice things to say about Scab Medina in Spanish at the Eaton Plaza speech, but none of that was mentioned in the reportage seen above.

On the other hand, this "journalist" took better than one-third of this story on Dolores Huerta to actually have some interview time with Scab Medina, even going so far as to suggest that Scab Medina's name is on par in the union field as that of Dolores Huerta.

I am willing to believe that there may be some "translation" issues here, but I don't think so.

In any event, for Scab Medina to get the last word in any story in regards to Dolores Huerta's support for NUHW is an indication in my mind that this particular news outlet, through this particular reporter, is showing just how biased they are in favor of the SEIU status quo, and just how necessary it is, and how necessary it will be going forward, for NUHW to break through the media logjam - and not just in English.