Kaiser Connection - November 9th, 2009

The 2009 Leadership Assembly demonstrated the unity, democracy and strength of SEIU-UHW, with members involved in every step of the planning, leading sessions and facilitating workshops.

Kaiser Workers Lead the Way

SEIU-UHW's Kaiser Division members stepped up as they joined members from hospitals, nursing homes and home care who travelled from all over California to attend the Leadership Assembly. Kaiser workers, who have the best contracts in health care, play a strong role in the union--and we understand that we all must work together to ensure that health care workers everywhere win good jobs.

"If we can raise standards for other health care workers, we all win," said Darrell Jerome, a Medical Assistant from Kaiser Alton/Sand Canyon MOB II. "The best way to protect and build on what we've won at Kaiser is to keep our whole union strong."

Leaders Commit to "Five to Thrive"

Assembly attendees sign letter to President Obama

The 1,700-plus SEIU-UHW members who attended the conference made a collective "Five to Thrive" pledge and signed poster-sized letters to President Obama in an effort to pick up on his recent "call to action" in the wake of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

What We Pledged to Do:

Every member leader who signed committed to:

• volunteer five days over the course of the next year
• to organize the unorganized
• participate in political action
• strengthen their community.

More importantly, we each committed to recruiting five additional SEIU-UHW member leaders to join in building our union together.

"We are on the platform of change, just like the President stands for change," said Les Harris from Kaiser Sunset. "We are going to sign this letter and we are going to be a part of positive change. Yes, we will sign this. Yes, we will make this the best state, and yes, we will make this the best union for the future."

Southern California Impact Bargaining Update

Following a November 2 meeting between representatives from Kaiser Permanente Management and an elected committee of SEIU-UHW members in Los Angeles, more steps have been made toward finding real solutions to avoid the forced layoff of our members.

Of the 297 impacted employees in the South, 219 have already been placed in like-for-like job matches. Management and the committee began to work out details of a workforce training program for any members who have not been placed in like-for-like job positions. Close to $2 million in JSET funds are available now to train workers so they can move into new jobs.

Management has agreed to allow impacted workers to use their preferential bidding rights to bid into positions that are not like-for-like, if they are qualified for those jobs and provided the other unions in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions agree to this change in the ATP agreement.

Kaiser agreed to expand the VSIP to a broader range of employees so we can create more positions for impacted workers to move into. The expansion will be done on a case-by-case basis.

Impacted workers will soon start to receive a second voluntary severance package offer. This offer is strictly voluntary and NO worker is required to accept it.

The next Union-Management meeting in Northern California is expected to be announced soon, and our committee will be seeking to provide similar protections for Kaiser workers in the Northern Region.

Northern California Members Step Up to Address Job Transitions

SEIU-UHW members from Kaiser facilities across Northern California have formed Implementation Committees to address the concerns of members affected by the plan to transition Patient Mobility Techs, CNAs and Care Partners to Patient Care Tech positions.

Members have taken an active part in this process of transitioning three job positions into one to ensure that quality patient care and job security are not compromised.

22 Implementation Committees from every Kaiser facility impacted by these transitions will be working to achieve the following for affected members:

• Like-for-like positions
• NO reduction in hours
• Proper certified training
• Work/life balance
• Workforce development Assistance

If your job has been affected by the transitions, be sure to contact your Implementation Committee Member with any questions or concerns.

SEIU-UHW members receive pay raise

"In this economy most people aren't talking about getting raises; they're just happy to be holding on to their jobs. Our raises show the power of our union. Even in tough times we continue to make progress," says Ofelia Medina, who works in Admitting for Kaiser Manteca.

Thanks to our contract, all SEIU-UHW members who work for Kaiser Permanente received a 3% pay raise in October. On October 11, all Kaiser workers in Northern California received a 3% across-the-board salary increase. Southern California workers received their 3% pay raise on October 1. The first part of that raise arrived in their October 9 paycheck.

On April 1, 2010, we will receive an additional 2% pay raise thanks to the contract we negotiated. SEIU-UHW Steward Councils across the state are beginning our preparations for the 2010 contract negotiations, which will establish our raises for future years.

Annual Member Dues Adjustment Program

In 2004, SEIU-UHW members voted for a dues program to strengthen our union. The member-approved program calls for annual adjustments to the dues minimums, maximums, and flat rates.

Our member dues provide the resources we need to protect our Kaiser standards, negotiate new contracts, provide legal advice and protection for members, and offer communications, research, office support, and other services critical to protecting and defending us on the job. At Kaiser, we have the best contract for health care workers in the state--and in the country.

Beginning in January 2010 and thereafter, dues for facilities on a fixed rate will be increased by $4 per month. For a full-time employee this increase represents approximately 2¢ more per hour. Where members are on percentage dues system, most members will see no increase in dues. Workers currently paying the maximum monthly dues may see an increase of no more than $4 per month, while anyone paying the minimum monthly dues may see an increase of no more than $1 per month.

Please send any questions to info@seiu-uhw.org.