Animosity between unions

NEW YORK — The animosity between members of UNITE-HERE, the union representing 450,000 workers across North America, is becoming increasingly more intense, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

UNITE is the former Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, and HERE stands for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union; the unions came together in 2004 as a marriage of convenience: UNITE had the money but a declining pool of garment and apparel workers to organize, while HERE had growing restaurant and hotel industries to tap into, but was short on cash, the story stated.

Bruce Raynor, UNITE-HERE's general president, said: "The union is now engaged in a 'civil war' and is leading the charge for a break-up."

Raynor alleges that the former HERE leaders have used their majority on the executive board to undermine his leadership and essentially control UNITE-HERE's assets, the story noted.

On Monday, board members voted on a resolution to divorce the two unions, but it failed.

According to the story, 15 executive board vice presidents announced Tuesday that they have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York seeking to dissolve the merger of UNITE and HERE, the story added.