As we urge Kaiser management to continue bargaining with our Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, labor leaders representing thousands of workers submitted a letter to Kaiser’s CEO, Bernard Tyson, to ask whether Kaiser is standing by its commitment to union members–particularly our Coalition.
May 11, 2018
Dear Mr. Tyson,
We are writing to you as labor leaders representing tens of thousands of workers who have Kaiser as an option in their health plans through healthcare trusts or collective bargaining agreements. We share Kaiser’s commitment to affordability, quality, and, we hope, Kaiser’s continued commitment to partnership with organized labor. We are aware that Kaiser is experiencing unprecedented financial success and we believe that frontline Kaiser employees have played a major role in achieving that.
Our members have had positive experiences with their care at Kaiser, but they have also experienced challenges. We have always tried to work through those challenges because we know how important Kaiser’s success is to your labor partners and because of our shared values, which include strong partnerships with unions. This is something that has made Kaiser stand out from other health insurers and we want our members to know that when choosing their plan.
We are reaching out to you because we have heard reports recently that have caused us to question our previous understanding of Kaiser’s relationship to its unions — and particularly those unions in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions (SEIU, OPEIU, UNITEHERE! and IFPTE) who continue to represent the majority of Kaiser’s unionized workforce. With open windows for our members to make health plan choices rapidly approaching, we thought it would be a good time to reach out to you for clarification on some key questions:
- Is Kaiser still committed to the Labor-Management Partnership over the long term as a core strategy to achieving success?
- Is Kaiser committed to negotiating a successor National Agreement with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions to the Agreement that will expire on September 30, 2018 — one that will continue to embody the groundbreaking innovations that have made Kaiser stand out from the rest: industry leading wages and benefits, Unit-Based Teams, Kaiser and union growth, education and training, and interest-based problem solving?
- Is Kaiser still committed to a “presumption against outsourcing” as embodied in the National Agreement or has your philosophy changed?
We understand that Kaiser and its unions are going through a time of change and that includes some internal conflict. That happens in many organizations from time to time. Your answers to these questions will hopefully help reassure us that despite those challenges, Kaiser is still committed to the values that have made it the health plan of choice for so many in the labor movement.
We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Hilary Glasgow, Executive Director, Colorado WINS
Representing 31,000 state workers in Colorado
Michael Aidan, Assistant Executive Director, Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE
Representing 6,000 engineers, scientists, licensed health professionals, and attorneys in Northern California
Gus Vallejo, President, IFPTE Local 21
Representing 11,000 technical, supervisory, and management government employees in the Bay Area
Linda Bridges, Secretary-Treasurer, OPEIU Local 2
Representing 7,000 office and professional workers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia
Suzanne Mode, Business Manager, OPEIU Local 8
Representing 6,000 office and technical professional workers in Washington
Tamara R. Rubyn, President/Business Manager, OPEIU 29
Representing 6,000 office, technical professional, and hospital workers in California
Walter Allen, Executive Director/CFO, OPEIU Local 30
Representing 4,000 office and technical professional workers in California, Arizona, and Colorado
Meg Niemi, President, SEIU Local 49
Representing 13,000 workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington
Max Arias, Executive Director, SEIU Local 99
Representing 45,000 public and non-public education workers in Southern California
Ron Ruggiero, President, SEIU Local 105
Representing 7,000 healthcare and property service workers in Colorado
David Garcias, President, SEIU Local 221
Representing 13,000 public service workers in San Diego and Imperial Counties
Melissa Unger, Executive Director, SEIU 503
Representing 72,000 public service workers in Oregon
Steven Demarest, President, SEIU 503
Representing 72,000 public service workers in Oregon
Riko Mendez, CEO, SEIU Local 521
Representing 40,000 workers in California
Bob Schoonover, President, SEIU Local 721
Representing 95,000 public service workers in Southern California
David Rolf, President, SEIU 775
Representing 45,000 long-term care workers in Washington and Montana
Karen Hart, President, SEIU Local 925
Representing 17,000 education, government, and non-profit workers in Washington
Yvonne Walker, President, SEIU Local 1000
Representing 96,000 public service workers in California
Roxanne Sanchez, President, SEIU Local 1021
Representing 54,000 public service workers in Northern California
Diane Sosne, President, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
Representing 29,000 healthcare workers in Washington
Laphonza Butler, President, SEIU Local 2015
Representing 370,000 long-term care workers in California
Dave Regan, President, SEIU United Healthcare Workers West
Representing 95,000 healthcare workers in California
David Huerta, President, SEIU United Service Workers WestRepresenting 40,000 property service workers in California
Eric Gill, Financial Secretary-Treasurer, UNITE HERE Local 5
Representing 10,000 hospitality, healthcare, and food service workers in Hawaii
cc: Artie Southam, Executive Vice President, Health Plan Operations
Wade Overgaard, Senior Vice President, Sales and Account Management
Janet Liang, President, Northern California Region
Julie Miller-Phipps, President, Southern California Region
Jeff Wannell, Director of Large Group Sales and Business Development, Colorado
R. Roland Lyon, President, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Colorado
Keith Forrester, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Northwest
Ruth Williams-Brinkley, President, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Northwest
Kenneth Wright, Vice President, Dental Services, Northwest
Imelda Dacones, President and CEO, Northwest