Guess what, there is a new website, SEIU Watch, exposing how this union partners with special interests and often advances the corporate agenda at the detriment of it's union members.
Check out The Nation's article detailing SEIU President Andy Stern's relationship with Wal-Mart.
More controversially, Stern has formed relationships with the Chinese state union, which has been been criticized for helping the government suppress workers' rights
SEIU is Not Alone in Their Practices
Many unions are only concerned with increasing their membership and collecting dues. Unions have, unfortunately become BIG BUSINESS. In a time of labor arbitrage, we, the working class need greater support that only can be obtained by uniting with other working class individuals. Unions will sacrifice their long standing members for the opportunity to add new members to their membership. Locals receive little to no support from the national, leaving them helpless to serve their members. The hierarchic structure of unions is exactly like the big business structure. From bottom to top (Member - Local - District - National) is similar to Corporate structure (Employee - Supervisor - Manager - District Manager - Regional VP - Executive - President). This padded middle insulates the Top from connecting to the Bottom.
Unions
I'd say unions are probably the #1 thing that has increases wages for all, worker rights for all, jobs. Their strength was from 1934 to the 1970's when active attempts to union bust at every level have gone on.
So, don't throw the baby out with the bath water on this one.
You know the SEIU split from the AFL-CIO and this might be one of the reasons. Now in the SEIU case I am seeing more and more dissent like the above and certainly their pushing comprehensive immigration reform bills, loaded, positively loaded with every guest worker Visas imaginable, across the occupational spectrum would have decimated working America if passed.
Just so you know the AFL-CIO opposed those bills.
(yes they are both for "amnesty" but it's becoming more evident to me at least the AFL-CIO is paying attention to their members, wages, job security with regard to this policy area).