Unions pursue service workers to stem losses Health care, wage issues emphasized

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mlive.com/business/aanews/index.ssf?/base/business-5/117569774541820.xml&coll=2

Unions pursue service workers to stem losses Health care, wage issues emphasized

Wednesday, April 04, 2007
BY JOHN SEEWER
The Associated Press

Trying to stop the erosion of organized labor, union leaders are looking beyond their core auto and steel industries to recruit service workers making low wages and professionals worrying about losing their health care.

The new faces of unions are immigrants working at construction sites, hospital nurses, parking lot attendants, mechanics and casino dealers - all groups that are unlikely to lose their jobs to overseas workers.

"What's left anymore?'' said Al Mixon, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 507 in Cleveland, which recently finalized a contract with American Red Cross employees in northern Ohio. "We're all forced to look into new areas.''

This might be just the beginning of the reshaping of unions at a time when factory jobs are being sent overseas or lost to technological changes.

"As we lose manufacturing jobs, we're going to move more into nontraditional occupations,'' said UAW Ohio President Lloyd Mahaffey. "The issues aren't different whether it's a health-care facility or a factory. It's about having a voice.''

In the last year, the UAW signed up 2,500 new members in Ohio at auto parts plants, county jails and a juvenile courthouse. The national union last year voted to move $60 million from its strike fund into recruiting new members.

FULL 2 page story at link.