Taking sides: RI state employees split with SEIU leadership over governor endorsements

PROVIDENCE - The larger of two state employee arms of the politically powerful Service Employees International Union has broken with the union's leadership and endorsed Gov. Dan McKee's bid to keep the job over his chief rival in recent polls, Nellie Gorbea.

If not unprecedented, the move by the executive board of SEIU Local 580 - representing about 850 "frontline workers at nine state agencies" -  is unusual.

A week ago, the executive committee of the sprawling union endorsed term-limited Secretary of State Gorbea, who has gone from forum to forum faulting McKee for not striking a contract agreement with SEIU over pay-and-benefits for the private contractors who provide child care in their homes.

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On Wednesday morning, the executive board of SEIU Local 580 issued a statement explaining why it was instead endorsing the Democratic incumbent, McKee, who has overseen the award of a myriad of new state employee contracts that have included $3,000 retention bonuses.

"Dan McKee has a proven track record of effective collaboration with the legislative leadership since his time in office that has delivered funding for 90 positions at DCYF and 20 positions at DHS,'' the statement said.

“It’s no secret that Governor McKee inherited a mess at agencies like DCYF and DHS when he took office 18 months ago. But, in that time, he has made it clear that he will give frontline workers a seat at the table to listen to our concerns and make much-needed change,"  said Matthew Gunnip, President of SEIU Local 580.

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"Together, we’re working to address the unprecedented workforce crisis we are facing, and Governor McKee has our full confidence in getting the job done. He is a collaborative and experienced leader, and we’re proud to endorse him for a full term to tackle these problems head-on,” Gunnip said.

The endorsement came after interviews with McKee, Gorbea and former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, according to the union..

SEIU Local 580 represents pockets of workers in the Department of Children, Youth & Families; Department of Human Services; Department of  Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; the Executive Office of Health and Human Services; the Department of Business Regulation; Division of Public Utilities & Carriers; Office of Rehabilitative Services; Office of Library Information Services and the Department of Labor and Training.

Rhode Island SEIU State Council has endorsed Nellie Gorbea in the governor's race

A week earlier, the Rhode Island SEIU State Council gave Gorbea her first major union endorsement.

Among the stated reasons: "Nellie earned our union’s endorsement because she was willing to sit down and listen to the needs of caregivers in hospitals, nursing homes, health centers and home childcare. She heard our concerns about staffing, fair wages and safer workplaces and made the commitment to help us rebuild our workforce after years of the pandemic,” said Kelli Price, a Registered Nurse at Women & Infants Hospital, 1199 NE member and delegate.

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"In addition, she has committed to holding employers accountable to establishing safer staffing in nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, ensuring that 80% of recent state healthcare funding is used toward workplace investment and quality care," last week's Council statement said.

It also noted: "SEIU Local 580 has not finalized their endorsement decision with their announcement pending."

In the wake of the McKee endorsement, the Gorbea campaign issued this statement:

"Secretary Gorbea appreciates the hard work of all SEIU members, including the dedicated public service of the members of SEIU Local 580. Secretary Gorbea is proud to be endorsed and supported by the RISEIU State Council, which represents thousands of members across the state."

According to a union spokeswoman, Amelia Abromaitis: the separate SEIU Local 401, also known as the Rhode Island Employment Security Alliance, has backed Gorbea. She said the local represents about 300 employees in the state labor department and the Chief Judge Robert F. Arrigan Rehabilitation Center.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: State employees, SEIU union leaders split RI governor endorsements