Stewards Across California Get Ready for 2010 Contract
LOS ANGELES - When the West Los Angeles Stewards Council met recently, winning improvements in our 2010 contract was at the top of their agenda. These stewards, representing UHW members from numerous facilities across West L.A. held the first bargaining training session to prepare for negotiations early next year. Kaiser Steward Councils across the state are participating in similar training to keep our bargaining well coordinated.
The Stewards Council strategized on how to build strong worker networks, how to recruit more leaders, and began mapping out a plan to win in 2010.
"I've been at Kaiser 32 years and I've been on several bargaining teams, so I know we need to be ready when we go to the table in 2010," said Abdullah Muhammad, the Council Rep Chair and an EVS Manager at Kaiser West L.A. "So we'll do what it takes now to improve our contract next year."
Leaders are stepping up. Kaiser Steward Councils across California will be holding training sessions to prepare for the upcoming negotiations. Be sure to check in with your Steward for more information or if you are ready to step up to become a leader.
CENTRAL VALLEY UPDATE: AHC/Primary Care Bargaining Team Makes Progress with Management
SEIU-UHW members in the Central Valley have been dealing with moves by Kaiser Management to make a series of scheduling changes. After holding membership meetings, check-ins and getting input from co-workers from every Central Valley AHC/Primary Care department, SEIU-UHW's elected Bargaining Team went back to the table on October 23.
Their goal: to win temporary schedules for 35 impacted AHC/Primary Care workers running from November 2 - December 12, 2009.
Thanks to the unity and strength of Central Valley SEIU-UHW members, Management agreed to temporary schedules for all thirty-five workers.
"With all the changes Kaiser is proposing here in the Central Valley - and all the economic challenges we face - we need to stand united as union members now more than ever." - Roxy Barrera, Kaiser Stockton
Impact Bargaining Continues to Move Forward
Thanks to the success of the informational pickets conducted by SEIU-UHW members across the state, negotiations to protect workers impacted by Kaiser Permanente Management's position elimination plans continue to move ahead. The bargaining sessions, which have taken place in Northern and Southern California, have led to the development of a placement process for workers, the implementation of a workforce development training program that will assist members in transferring into a different department or specialty, and a freeze on any On-Call worker terminations.
WHEN IN DOUBT, GRIEVE IT: If you are a potentially impacted worker and you feel that Management has not afforded you all the rights you have under the Contract or the ATP Agreement, contact your steward and file a grievance. We can't promise what the result will be, but we need to know about your situation if we want to address it.
