WASHINGTON — The long-simmering clash between rival factions at the labor union Unite Here grew increasingly bitter on Friday as its general president resigned and accused his opponents of breaking into his office to steal sensitive files.
It’s the latest turn in a nasty divorce that has split the union of roughly 400,000 hotel, restaurant and clothing workers and diverted millions of dollars into a drawn-out legal dispute.
Bruce Raynor, the union’s general president, claimed he was being forced out of his post and said he would take another top spot at a newly formed union affiliated with the Service Employees International Union.
“The situation at Unite Here has devolved from sporadic hostile actions to a sustained attack that represents a direct threat to the welfare of our members,” Raynor said. “Our union is in total chaos.”
Unite Here was the product of two unions that merged five years ago — the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, headed by Raynor, and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union, led by John Wilhelm.
But difficulties organizing new members and other disagreements led to mounting tension between the two leaders, and Raynor last year declared the merger a failure.
At his urging, about 150,000 dissident members voted to leave the union earlier this year to form a new union called Workers United.
