Portside

SEIU Vice President Convicted of Stealing over $1 Million in Members' Dues

Yesterday in Los Angeles, SEIU Vice President Tyrone Freeman was convicted on 14 counts in federal court, including embezzlement of union funds, violating tax laws and mail fraud.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Freeman faces up to 180 years in prison for crimes committed when he was in charge of SEIU’s United Long Term Care Workers local (SEIU Local 6434).

All told, Freeman stole over $1 million of members’ dues money, funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to his relatives, racking up thousands of dollars in tabs at a Beverly Hills cigar bar, and expensing the costs of a lavish Hawaiian wedding to the union.

Various SEIU officials were aware of Freeman’s corruption, and simply let him steal from union members because Freeman was one of their loyal allies. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, federal prosecutors have not ruled out indictments against other top SEIU officials for aiding and abetting Freeman’s crimes.

This news has important significance for members of NUHW-CNA, and thousands more seeking to leave SEIU-UHW and join us.

Four years ago, SEIU’s President ordered the transfer of 65,000 SEIU-UHW members into Freeman’s corrupt local at the very time these crimes were being committed.

The current leaders of NUHW refused to transfer the workers without a democratic vote of the affected members, and SEIU officials took control of our union.

It was in direct response to SEIU’s corruption that workers formed NUHW.

Won’t you tell this important news to your co-workers and use this leaflet to help them understand the significance of yesterday’s conviction of SEIU Vice President Tyrone Freeman in federal court?

Sincerely,

Sal Rosselli, President
National Union of Healthcare Workers