In an ongoing struggle between the United Health Care Workers West and their parent, the Service Employees International Union – a struggle bordering on civil war – several Sacramento and Yolo county officials threw their support behind the embattled local union.

SEIU is trying to consolidate three California locals including UHW, which represents 18,000 in-home support service workers in Sacramento County.

UHW opposes the move, and officials throughout Northern California have been voicing support for UHW.

"UHW is very, very close to the workers," said Jim Provenza, a Yolo County supervisor-elect. "They know the needs of their workers."

Provenza and Sacramento County Supervisors Roger Dickinson and Don Nottoli held a news conference Wednesday to show support for UHW and urge SEIU leadership to reconsider plans to weaken or dissolve UHW.

In 2000, SEIU decided to unite workers in locals who do the same work, said Michelle Ringuette, an SEIU spokeswoman. As a result, the international union is looking to consolidate three unions in California that represent long-term health care workers.

Ringuette says a consolidated union would streamline negotiations and ultimately benefit workers.

Critics at UHW, however, say SEIU tends to favor deals that boost membership at the expense of negotiating contracts that improve benefits for members.

If SEIU does consolidate the unions, it would appoint leadership to the newly formed local, Ringuette said. When the organization is up and running, the new local would hold elections so local members could pick their leaders.

UHW leaders, however, say the move is an attempt to install leadership from Washington, D.C.

SEIU has become a force in recent years and had a large hand in helping elect Barack Obama president. UHW in turn has become a force in California politics. The union has flexed its financial might in recent years, donating almost $3.1 million, mostly to local officials, from 2005 through 2008 through its political action committee.

Provenza received almost $20,000 worth of contributions from UHW this year, according to records from the secretary of state. Dickinson has received $1,000 from UHW since 2000.

"It makes sense to invest in strong leadership that protects workers," said Cary Sanders, UHW's assistant policy director.

Last month SEIU sent ballots to members of the three California locals to measure interest in two consolidation options.

Members could vote to consolidate the 65,000 long-term health care workers in UHW – which has about 140,000 members total – plus the other two unions into a new local union. The other option would dissolve all three locals, including UHW, into one new union.

"It was like asking me if I wanted to be shot in the left knee or right knee," union member Lola Young said. "It's not much of a choice."

Dickinson said SEIU's moves were undemocratic. He said the election was "to in effect stage a coup."

The supervisor worried the change could impact future labor negotiations. Leadership from Washington might not be as close to the concerns and wishes of local union members, he said.

"That makes bargaining more difficult," Dickinson said.

The ballots, which SEIU will tally tomorrow, are purely advisory, said John Borsos, UHW's vice president.

"The international executive board has a chance to make a different decision," Borsos said. "There is absolutely no support within UHW to see the local union dissolved."

SEIU's international executive board will consider the mergers in the first week of January, Ringuette said.

Call The Bee's Robert Lewis, (916) 321-1061.