Central Valley SEIU-UHW members overwhelmingly vote to ratify new agreement that protects every member's job.
SEIU-UHW Committee Negotiates a New Agreement that Avoids All Layoffs. Members work with Management to develop new ways to save at-risk jobs.
Over 70 percent of affected Central Valley SEIU-UHW members from Kaiser Facilities in Stockton, Modesto, Manteca and Tracy turned out to vote on a new Agreement to protect jobs. After three days of voting, the Agreement passed with 81 percent of the vote.
Our member-elected SEIU-UHW Bargaining Team and TPMG Leadership worked together to develop the Agreement that creates new approaches to save jobs. The new Agreement protects all Primary, Specialty and After Hours Care workers from layoffs.
"I voted to make sure our agreement to protect jobs is respected. We came together to protect our co-workers, and it's great to see that our unity created a strong Agreement that works for everyone." Irma Cardenas, MA, Tracy MOB.
What the Central Valley Employment Security and Workforce Agreement provides:
- Job security
- Strong protections on workload issues
- Protections for weekend, nighttime, evening and LVN differentials
Health Care Professionals, Psych-Social Workers, Sunset RNs risk loss of up to $15,000 in pay, healthcare, pensions and other benefits
The economic well being of Kaiser members in the Health Care Professionals unit, the Psych-Social Chapter unit, and the AFN unit at Kaiser Sunset has been put in danger by a decision of a regional arm of the National Labor Relations Board. We have been told that we would be forced to participate in an election to keep our union, an election triggered by former officials who formed the NUHW after they were ousted from our union in January.
NUHW Would Not Be Allowed in Kaiser Coalition or LMP
Upon hearing that the NUHW were putting SEIU-UHW members at risk, the unions that make up the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions Kaiser determined that it would not allow any organization that raided members from another union to join the Coalition. This means that NUHW could not participate in national negotiations with Kaiser or in the Labor-Management Partnership (LMP).
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TEXT OF CKPU STATEMENT
December 7, 2009
STATEMENT FROM THE COALITION OF KAISER PERMANENTE UNIONS
All local unions who comprise the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions reached a consensus on the following statement dated December 5, 2009.
"The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions ("Coalition") expects that at all times, all current members of the Coalition and the Labor Management Partnership (LMP) shall do everything possible to support and enforce the National Agreement, the National Labor-Management Partnership Agreement, and the principles and aims of the LMP and the Coalition.
The Coalition will not support the application by any Union to join the Coalition or the (LMP) by virtue of gaining representation of Kaiser Permanente employees by raiding a constituent member union of the Coalition."
The local unions are:
UNAC/UHCP, Oregon Federation of Health Care Professionals, IBT, Local 166; IFPTE, Local 20; KPNAA; OPEIU, Locals 2, 17, 29, 30 277; Ohio Nurses Assn.; Oregon Nurses Assn; SEIU Locals UHW-West, 49 105,121RN; Hawaii Nurses Association, UFCW, Locals 7, 27, 400, 555, 1996, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, 1442, United Steelworkers, Local 7600.
In Unity,
John August
Executive Director
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NUHW was formed by some former officials of SEIU-UHW, who were ousted in January for transferring $3 million in members' dues to a bogus non-profit organization for their own use, stashing another $500,000 in a lawyer's bank account, and undermining the democratic rights of SEIU-UHW members.
"Going with NUHW is crazy. Why would we go with a non-existent union with no members and zero strength and put our wages, benefits and family at risk during these terrible economic times? I'm sticking with SEIU-UHW." -- Eric Pierce, LCSW, Social Medicine, Kaiser Sunset
What's at Stake for Kaiser Health Care Professionals, Psych-Social Workers, Sunset RNs
- Guaranteed Raises: Under our contract, all SEIU-UHW Kaiser members will receive a 2% wage increase next April, increasing our pay up to $2,000 annually, with more raises expected in coming years.
- Job Protections: When Management decided to cut back earlier this year, non-union employees (including managers) were given two weeks notice and terminated. Our National Agreement protected all our jobs and continues to protect our jobs and our wages for at least 12 months.
- Free Healthcare: Our family healthcare is free and protected by our contract. If we bargain alone, we could face what non-union workers face. Managers already have to pay more: They either pay a monthly premium to maintain their current benefits or accept increased co-pays for doctor's visits, prescriptions, emergency care, etc.
- Performance Sharing Plan: Our average payout ranges anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on where we work. Without our contract, we could lose our March 2011 payout (and the April 2012 payout for the AFN unit).
- National Bargaining: Next year, all 100,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions will bargain together for future wage increases. If we choose NUHW, we will be left out on our own to bargain our own separate contract from a position of weakness.
Southern California Coalition Partners Address Kiosk issue
On Monday December 7, the Southern California Regional LMP met to discuss issues of importance to SEIU-UHW members, our partners in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, and Kasier Permanente. Among other things, we talked about PSP goals, Healthy Workforce initiatives and we discussed Kaiser's plans for Kiosks in the Southern California region.
Kaiser's plans to implement kiosks in facilities is a very important issue to all union members in the coalition. UHW and the other coalition unions will be reviewing this issue and putting together a plan to work in partnership with Kaiser to ensure that all coalition members are protected. By working together with the members of the other unions in the coalition, SEIU-UHW members will have a voice in determining how kiosks are implemented while protecting our co-workers' jobs. This issue is one of many reasons why it is crucial for SEIU-UHW members to be a part of the CKPU and the LMP.