Union hypocrisy notwithstanding, the sheer amount of money that the Laborers International Union of North America would shell out to bust the SEIU is staggering–between $10 million and $12.5 million—is staggering.

Very simply, the SEIU is persona non grata when it comes to representing LIUNA’s employees in Toronto (and presumably anywhere). So, rather than dealing with the union representing its own staffers, the Laborers’ union is buying them out and getting rid of them and the SEIU. [Pesky SEIU!]

According to the Toronto Star, LUINA’s staffers unionized with the SEIU in June when they were in fear of losing their jobs after the Laborers’ union members voted to replace the Laborers’ leadership.

With new Laborers bosses coming in, staffers were in fear of being fired due to union politics. So, they unionized.

That, apparently, did not sit well with the Laborers’ International President, Terry O’Sullivan who, instead of negotiating [as in collective bargaining, for those of you in Madison] with the SEIU, decided to get rid of the entire SEIU staff and is in the process of buying the union’s unionized workers out.

In a twist to the explosive political infighting that occasionally flares up in the labour movement, the Toronto-based Labourers’ International Union of North America Local 183 is buying out about 80 employees with lucrative financial packages after they joined another union.

[snip]

“It’s disgusting what Local 183 has done to get rid of them and the union,” one insider said Tuesday. “It’s a good example for non-union companies. If you don’t want a union, just buy off the employees.”

The unions and staffers would not discuss terms of the settlement because of confidentiality agreements. But two sources familiar with the terms confirmed that Local 183 would be paying out between $10 million and $12.5 million to departing staffers.

[snip]

“We don’t want SEIU Local 2 in it (the Labourers’ union) in any way, shape or form,” O’Sullivan said in a statement, describing it as “a cheese-eating rat.”

Geez, Terry! For that kind of money, did you ever think about just buying a cat?

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776