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National Bargaining to Begin 

Reopener Letter Sent and Surveys Collected.  For the last several weeks we have been collecting surveys so that our members have input into the National reopener that will be bargained this year in all Regions of Kaiser (except Hawaii) for 1) across-the-board wages for 2008 and 2009 and 2) retiree health.  We appreciate all your hard work in collecting the surveys.  The results of the survey will be distributed in early July. Also, the Coalition of Unions has sent the letter formally reopening the National Agreement.

As you recall, when we had full negotiations in 2005, which included bargaining our own UHW Contract, we had several negotiation processes that we participated in.  As a reminder, they were: 

  1. National Bargaining Task Groups (BTGs).  This was National bargaining with hundreds of members participating from UHW and other local unions from across the country in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.  These BTGs gave their recommendations to the Common Issues Committee, which made the final decision on the recommendations.

  2. National Common Issues Committee.  The CIC was composed of union officials and high level management representatives that made the final decisions on national benefits, wages and other LMP benefits.  (These agreements were subject to a vote of the members of each individual union.)

  3. Coalition of Kaiser Unions Delegate Ratification.  Delegates to the CKPU voted and ratified the National Agreement.

  4. SEIU Cross-Regional Bargaining.  In 2005 following National bargaining, we also bargained language that we would have in common with other SEIU locals (the former-Local 535, SEIU 105 in Colorado, and SEIU 49 in the Pacific Northwest).  This included a smaller group of rank-and file members from each of the local unions.  The results of these negotiations became part of our Contract and were part of the ratification process. (The agreements reached in this bargaining are denoted in our contract as being part of the “SEIU Master Agreement.”)

  5. UHW Local Bargaining.  In 2005 we also had bargaining solely for UHW members which is the giant purple book.  As you may recall we had well over a hundred members participating in this part of bargaining. 

  6. UHW Ratification.  We ratified all of these agreements in September of 2005. 

This Year.  This year the reopener is less complex.  It is still National Bargaining of all the Unions in the Coalition with Kaiser Permanente.  But as determined in our 2005 bargaining, there will be no BTGs, no cross-regional bargaining, and no local bargaining for the reopener. That bargaining is reserved for the full reopener in 2010.  From the 2005 National bargaining it was agreed that the CIC would reconvene and make a recommendation on only two subjects (across-the-board wages and retiree health).  The recommendation of the CIC would be voted on by the members of each local in the Coalition of Unions.  

Process and Subjects of the 2008 Bargaining Restricted.  The manner in which these 2008 negotiations are conducted was determined in 2005 as set forth in the National Agreement. Pages 105 and 106 of the National Agreement read: 

Section 3 Scope of the Agreement, D. Duration, Renewal and Reopening;   . . . “Any and all negotiations conducted pursuant to this reopener shall be conducted at the national level by the CIC.  There shall be no local negotiations, and no other subjects shall be addressed.”  

Please note we are doing something different this year—Rank-and-File Members on the CIC.  In 2000 and 2005 national bargaining there were no rank-and-file members on the CIC.  The CIC is a relatively small group of representatives from all the Unions in the Coalition (Union Officials) and Management (Regional Presidents and Physicians).  Unions were represented by staff with no rank-and-file union representation.  Some unions had no local representation on the CIC and were represented by their International staff. 

In this year’s reopener we have asked the Coalition to have two rank-and-file members from UHW be on the CIC (representing the Service, Technical, Clerical, and Maintenance Contract (which also includes Dietitians in Northern California).  There will be one rank-and-file member from the Southern California Region of Kaiser and one rank-and-file member from the Northern California Region of Kaiser as full members of the CIC.  This is an important and significant change.  This will be the first time that rank-and-file members have been included in the CIC.  The 5 chapters of the former-Local 535 local will also have a total of 2 representatives on the CIC.

Process for Election and Outcome. One representative has been specifically set aside for the members of the following chapters: Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Medical Social Workers, Psych-Social, and Southern California Healthcare Professionals. On June 11, 2008 a letter was mailed to all members of these chapters describing the process for selecting our bargaining representative. The process was an experimental online nomination and voting method (which may or may not be used again in future elections). Nominations took place June 16-18. Voting took place June 19-21. Four individuals were nominated and ran for the position with each submitting a candidate statement. Jim Clifford, a Psychiatric Social Counselor from the Otay Mesa Medical Office in San Diego, received the most votes and, thus, will be our representative on the CIC (national) bargaining committee. Jim is also a vice president and capacity representative for the Psych-Social chapter. To assist Jim in representing us, the bargaining surveys have been tallied and he will have an opportunity to view the results and read the numerous comments that were received.

Training for Bargaining.  The training of the CIC bargaining committee will be in San Francisco on July 7 and July 8.  Actual national bargaining has been set for the entire week of August 4 in Berkeley, California. All participants must be available for both the training in July and the week long bargaining in August to be eligible to participate.   

Vote on National Bargaining.  The vote on the results of bargaining by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has been scheduled for August 16.  Those folks participating in the CKPU Conference in April where we decided to reopen the Contract would be the folks participating in this meeting, provided they continue to be stewards and are authorized by their steward councils to represent them.  The location is yet to be determined by the Coalition.  In the past each local union has also voted independently on the results of National bargaining.    

For information about our Union: www.SEIUvoice.org  and   www.ourUHW.org

"STRONGER TOGETHER"