IAEP-SEIU/Matt Levy sells out L.A. AMR members

May 1, 2008 - IAEP-SEIU members at AMR in Antelope Valley and Irwindale, who returned to work after their recent strike, are likely to file suit.

If allowing their contract to be expired for over 9 months and overall poor negotiation performance wasn’t enough; L.A. members are really up in arms over what one Lancaster member termed, “a union who lied and deceived us.”

IAEP representation hit a new level of low when SEIU-IAEP members returned from their 4 day strike against AMR to find that SEIU Director Matt Levy failed to tell them of AMR’s last offer that would have averted the strike all together. What adds insult to injury is that the deal that SEIU’s Matt Levy hastily took, that resulted in the strike ending on Thursday May 1 was actually 10% less than what AMR offered SEIU-IAEP/Levy to avert the strike. Levy in what appeared to be an inexperienced and ill advised move neglected to inform the membership of the offer.. The strike went forward with EMS Professionals who trusted SEIU-IAEP losing over 4 days of pay.

Apparently Levy’s plan was to keep AMR’s offer completely quiet from the membership so that he could tout that the strike and IAEP’s “pressure” resulted in AMR’s offer, but the members quickly found out and began revolting against the poor leadership from SEIU-IAEP. Starting in Antelope Valley, SEIU-IAEP members found AMR’s offer was indeed forwarded to SEIU-IAEP/Levy, well before the strike and SEIU-IAEP said nothing to the membership. “We new nothing about AMR’s last offer; we thought the strike was for something completely different than what SEIU knew,” Stated AMR employees “Hooray for IAEP and thanks for tarnishing the public image of the LA Medics and EMT’s.” A Santa Maria community member commented to the SIEU membership upon learning about their situation: “your Union has an idiot at the helm.” SEIU’s Matt Levy commented in a press release that the contract was “Fair and Equitable.”

SEIU-IAEP members are now voting on the offer. The vote is being counted in a private count at an undisclosed time at IAEP headquarters, in Massachusetts, thousands of miles away from Local 77 and 177. Levy interestingly predicts that SEIU-IAEP Locals 77 and 177 will overwhelmingly ratify the agreement.

A bad contract and reputation isn’t the only thing SEIU-IAEP and Levy have to worry about. It is being reported that a class action law suit against SEIU-IAEP and Levy personally is likely, which would seek for recovery, the 4 days of pay, the lost 10%, and punitive damages for the intentional fraud. Members are also seeking to decertify the IAEP as their representatives. “We have had it with Levy and SEIU; they have screwed us for the last time.” Said a Santa Clarita Valley member and former supporter. “Not having a union at all would be better than SEIU.”