KP Update: We’re standing united across the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions

We in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW are united with 80,000 workers across Kaiser nationally in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.  For more than 20 years, the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has had a ground-breaking Labor-Management Partnership with Kaiser, resulting in a National Contract Agreement addressing how frontline staff have a voice in patient care and standard-setting benefits and supports.  The Labor-Management Partnership and National Agreement were key aspects of why we supported the Kaiser acquisition of Group Health through public testimony at Group Health consumer meetings and Insurance Commissioner hearings, buttons and stickers, and other activities.

This week, the national Kaiser administration has indefinitely delayed starting bargaining for a new national agreement and, further, called for changes that would erode the founding standards of labor-management partnership that Kaiser has upheld for over 20 years.  This is unacceptable.

We are calling on the Kaiser administration locally and nationally to maintain the highest standards of partnership and to stop the delays to bargaining a new national agreement.  Unfortunately, a minority of local unions at Kaiser have left the Coalition of Kaiser Unions and may be willing to reach a short-term deal with management that lessens the standards of the Labor-Management Partnership.  However, we know that we need to stand strong together with our union sisters and brothers across all Kaiser regions to hold Kaiser accountable to partnership and to bargaining the national agreement.  We will do what it takes to bring the highest Kaiser standards for us and our patients here to Washington.

Talk to your delegate for more information about our plan to show our unity.

“We need to stay organized, stay together, and stay informed. Kaiser needs to come back to the table and bargain with us in good faith. We’re here to talk, we’re here to bargain, and we aren’t going away.” – Kevin Carter, Custodian, Tacoma Specialty Center, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Representative to the National Bargaining Team

“There are over 80,000 union members united at Kaiser Permanente calling on management to come to the table and bargain the National Agreement. Management made an agreement with us to bargain and they need to follow through. We’re ready to bargain and have Washington be included in the Labor Management Partnership and National Agreement.” – Denice Bischofberger, RN, Outpatient Surgery, Capitol Hill, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Representative to the National Bargaining Team

National Update from the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
May 7, 2018—  Today, at the “Labor Summit” in Oakland, Kaiser management presented the unions with a top-down, unilateral “new partnership.”  This proposal in particular limits our ability as union members to speak out and stand up for our rights and threatens union members’ job security with technology and outsourcing.

Kaiser has a legal obligation to bargain with the Coalition. We will continue to take action to demand Kaiser return to the table to bargain the National Agreement.

The National Labor Relations Act gives us an opportunity to hold Kaiser accountable. The Coalition cannot agree to a “new partnership” without the voices of our 85,000 members.

“The unions of the Coalition are completely committed to Partnership and the great work we’ve done together, but any changes to the Partnership need to be discussed in national bargaining,” said Walter Allen, executive director of OPEIU Local 30.

Stay informed with online updates from your local unions and the Coalition: https://www.unioncoalition.org/social-media/

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 20

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 8

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 29

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 30

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 50/Hawaii Nurses Association

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 121RN

Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW)(STATEWIDE)

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199NW

UNITEHERE Local 5