3rd day bargaining!

Well, today went a bit better. We made strides on the issues that SEIU/UHW members are facing with the Labor Partnership Agreement during these 2 days of training and 1 day of real face-to-face interest based negotiations about what is limiting the progress of the Labor Partnership Agreement. We broke out into two groups. Management in one room and the union in another.

What is hindering the National Agreement? We ended up with 4 items to focus on:
1) Make the Partnership better and more real--ie; all should be held accountable, back bill budget to release members for LMP, joint decision making for improving service/quality/affordability, make KP the best place to work.
2) Expand the Partnership--ie; working together to a) grow KP membership b) promote the KP model c) influence public policy.
3) Funding that is equitable, adequate, and transparent
4) Expanding the LMP to other unions.

Managers returned and gave us their list of proposals:
1) Strategic membership growth
2) Accountability
3) KP LMP model for healthcare/business
4) Improvement at all levels
5) Enhance the value compass

When we reconvene on the 20th we will see how committed Kaiser is to improving the National Agreement. Until then, let's show management that we're ready to win the contract we deserve!

Silvia

2nd day of bargaining!

This morning was training and more training on our approach to negotiations. It is called Interest Based Negotiations. I confess I had to step out of the room several times because it all seemed like much ado about nothing. How much training does our bargaining team need to address our union concerns? They are pretty simple:

1) Keep benefits 2) raises 3) job security

It is Kaiser and its managers that seem to need the training. We have a National Agreement nicely bound in a little blue book that no manager seems to know much about or understand what to do with it.

We have a Labor Management Partnership, described in the blue book, that has been in place since 1997. After 13 years, how much more training does Kaiser management need to have in order to understand that on page 21 of the National Agreement it clearly states "engagement in Partnership is NOT OPTIONAL, but the way Kaiser Permanente does business."

It should not be hard to figure out that creating a real partnership among labor and management means supporting the workforce that helps make Kaiser successful. That means do not take away our stuff.

When elected by my union members I promised to present their needs and questions about this agreement and stand up for our goals.

I will live up to that promise. I hope Kaiser will live up to its promise to do business as a partner - a real partner.

1st day of bargaining!

Ready . . . set . . . go!

The message is out! We are not backing down!

1) Protect our benefits!

2) Win raises!

3) Guarantee long-term job security!

We will officially begin interest-based bargaining in the morning, focusing on Workforce Planning and Development, Attendance Time Off, Performance and Improvement and Sharing, and Labor Management Partnership.

Kaiser management started off by sharing their economic sob story about losses and more losses. It's perfectly clear why they're telling us all this: they want to increase our healthcare costs and take away our benefits.

Healthcare reform has passed and the President of the United States agrees with Kaiser Permanente's healthcare model. Kaiser is at the forefront of health reform. We all want Kaiser Permanente to strive to be the healthcare leaders of the future by bringing those 32 million uninsured to Kaiser. SEIU-UHW wants to embark on healthcare reform with Kaiser. But we can only do that if we nail down a strong contract that protects all our benefits.

The message from Dave Regan was clear: if you want to be at the forefront of healthcare in the future, work with us instead of working against us! Kaiser Permanente, do you want to achieve results or do you want to continue with the same old rhetoric? 121 SEIU-UHW members are here to bargain for results, not hear a bunch of rhetoric!

So members of UHW, show your support and spread the message to all union members and leaders of Kaiser Permanente: NO TAKE AWAYS AND WIN RAISES!

One of my favorite quotes is by Cesar Chavez: “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people." Let's remind the Kaiser Permanente leaders that the fight is about us, the union members. The people!

Talk to you again tomorrow!

Silvia Torres-Limon

Negotiations have begun for 2010!

Ready set go! We are off to a great start, 150 rank and file members have convened at the Oakland Merriott to negotiate our UHW/SEIU Kaiser contract.

1) Protect all our benfeits

2) Win raises for everyone

3) Guarantee long-term job secruity

We all are here to win our UHW/SEIU Kaiser contract.

Our local rallies have set off a clear message to Kaiser Permanente to lay off of our contract, from Sacramento, Walnut Creek, South San Franciso to Los Angeles we all all here to win, we did not come to lose.

No others will undermine our efforts to protect benefits for ourselves and our families.

So members of SEIU-UHW get ready to let your voices be heard clear across California NO TAKEAWAYS, PAY INCREASES AND JOB SECURITY!


In unity there is strenght!