In a June 5 meeting with leaders from the Coalition of Unions, Kaiser doubled-down on their rules for a “New Partnership.” Under these outrageous new rules: 

• We would give up our right to speak out and take political action — but Kaiser will keep all their power to outsource, automate, and relocate our jobs. 
• Management could work with a few unions representing a small group of workers to expel a majority of the workers from the Partnership. 
• Kaiser demanded our leaders sign off on this deal without us being able to vote on it! 

And Kaiser is saying they won’t resume bargaining our National Agreement unless we sign off on these new rules . . . which is ILLEGAL. 

We say NO WAY! 

We will NOT let Kaiser reinvent the Partnership in ways that give them more power to eliminate our jobs, lower our pay, cut our benefits, and silence our voices — and we made that perfectly clear to Kaiser: 

• We’ve filed Labor Board charges against Kaiser for bad faith bargaining. 
• Our May pickets were huge — and we’ve got more big actions coming up across the west coast this summer. 

How will we keep our power & protect our benefits? 

We know that to raise our pay, protect our benefits, and maintain our power as workers, we MUST stick together as a Coalition. We are 85,000 members strong, and we have more power when we stand united. 

We won’t settle for a deal that gives Kaiser all the power. Even if Kaiser agrees to a short-term contract with other unions, we are prepared for a long-term fight to protect our pension, retiree medical and affordable healthcare for generations to come. 

Stay involved 

See a union leader for information on upcoming actions and to learn how to get active as a leader in our union.

Last week, Kaiser tried to force all unions to sign off on a new “partnership” letter. We’ve broken down Kaiser’s letter to get a look at what they’re actually saying.

We have filed unfair labor practice charges against Kaiser for refusing to bargain with us. More updates to come.

For months, Kaiser has refused to bargain in good faith with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. Kaiser is refusing to come to the bargaining table and is trying to get us to sign off on new rules for a partnership that would make it easier for them to outsource our jobs, cut our wages and benefits, and control what we can do and say.

Now we’ve fired back. The Coalition has filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against Kaiser for this illegal behavior.

Here are just some of the bad faith bargaining charges in our filing with the labor board that kaiser must answer for:

Kaiser “failed and refused, and continues to fail and refuse, to bargain in good faith with the CKPU.”

Kaiser “unilaterally announced at the beginning of a bargaining session that it was cancelling the bargaining session, along with other mutually scheduled future bargaining dates.”

Kaiser “unilaterally announced that it was ‘suspending’ National negotiations.”

Kaiser “conditioned continued bargaining with the CKPU on the CKPU agreeing to and accepting a ‘code of conduct’ that, among other things, limited the statutory rights of the CKPU’s membership to engage in protected, concerted activity.”

Kaiser “conditioned continued bargaining with the CKPU on one of the CKPU’s member Union’s agreeing to stop picketing and leafleting the employer.”

Kaiser “unilaterally demanded that it would only agree to continue to bargain with the CKPU, if the CKPU and its member Unions agreed to join a new Partnership…which, among other things:

‘[allows] for [job] reductions’;

allows for Kaiser to expel any Union party to the Agreement;

prohibits any Union party from engaging in political activity that may adversely affect another party to the Agreement;

prohibits a Union from ‘call[ing], participat[ing], or sanction[ing] any sympathy strike against the Employer”;

prohibits a Union from ‘engag[ing] in any conduct that may harm or jeopardize the tax exempt status of Kaiser.’”

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:

1. Is Kaiser still committed to the Labor-Management Partnership over the long term as a core strategy to achieving success?
2. 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?
3. 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

SEIU and our Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are standing strong for a REAL partnership. Here’s our latest update. 

Kaiser management is trying to make significant changes to our 20-year-old partnership without our input or agreement. The changes they are proposing would limit our ability to advocate for ourselves and our patients. 

SEIU members, along with the unions who stuck with our Coalition, are demanding that Kaiser stop delaying our negotiations and continue bargaining with us NOW. 

SEIU 49 members’ upcoming raises are still coming, regardless of Kaiser’s behavior. We have a guaranteed 1% raise coming on September 1, 2018. If Kaiser refuses to renew the National Agreement, then all SEIU 49 members will also get a 2% raise on October 1, 2018—a total of 3% in raises before the end of the year. 

All economic provisions, including wages, performance opportunities, and benefits of the National Agreement and all provisions of our local contract are fully in effect through June 30, 2019 and cannot be changed without bargaining with us. 

What we’re fighting for is simple. We want the best contract possible, not the quickest—Kaiser should continue bargaining with us immediately. Legally, Kaiser has an obligation to bargain with us. 

Other unions who left our Coalition have formed a new “alliance”, and there’s news that they may be going to the bargaining table soon. But we are focused on our contract and protecting job security, retirement benefits, strong wage increases, and educational opportunities so we can continue providing quality patient care—and we won’t accept anything less. 

We’re preparing to file charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Kaiser for violating labor law. We must continue to stand united across our worksites and unions. 

IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SEND KAISER A CLEAR MESSAGE. SIGN UP TO ATTEND ACTIONS TODAY! 

Kaiser management met with leaders from most Kaiser unions on Monday, May 7, and two bargaining committee members were there with our elected President Meg Niemi on behalf of SEIU Local 49.

From that meeting, it’s clear Kaiser is walking away from Partnership as we know it. They want more power to automate, relocate and outsource jobs, and roll back their job security commitments to Kaiser employees to maintain jobs.

In addition, Kaiser said they will refuse to negotiate a new National Agreement*, leaving each union to bargain their own local agreement (ours remains in place through June 30, 2019 and protects our wages and benefits). Kaiser’s idea of “Partnership” would strip away our power as workers and union members, which would put our jobs and the quality of our patient care at risk. SEIU and our Coalition allies will not stand for this.

We are so encouraged by the unity and collaboration of the other Coalition members. There’s no doubt in our minds that we are united as 85,000 healthcare workers and will act as one when it comes to Kaiser. And we are confident that we will ultimately win a new contract that we can all be proud of.

Here’s the document Kaiser gave us, which details how they want to re-shape the Partnership in a way that will restrict union power, so that jobs can be put at risk in the name of “efficiency”, “technology” and “change.” If you haven’t already, watch this video of fellow union members from SEIU-UHW speaking up on how outsourcing will affect them. There are 30 SEIU 49 jobs on the line, so this issue will absolutely hurt us if we don’t fight back.

We’re preparing to file charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Kaiser over this behavior. We must continue to stand united across our worksites and unions.

If you haven’t signed up to join one of our May pickets, sign up below or get in touch with an SEIU 49 leader right away to make sure you can attend the next one. Our ability to protect our jobs and speak up for our patients depends on it.

*Please note: SEIU 49 members have a guaranteed 1% raise coming on September 1, 2018. If Kaiser refuses to renew the National Agreement, then all SEIU 49 members will also get a 2% raise on October 1, 2018—a total of 3% in raises before the end of the year. All economic provisions, including wages, performance opportunities, and benefits of the National Agreement and all provisions of our local contract are fully in effect through June 30, 2019 and cannot be changed without bargaining with us.