Kaiser Market wage increases ratified!

MARKET WAGE INCREASES RATIFIED!

KP ProTech/Optical and Pharmacy union members turned out yesterday in record numbers to say YES to increased wages!

After several months of union members pushing back against wage disparities through petitions, a demand letter, hundreds of postcards and using our collective voice, KP agreed to increase wages for UFCW Members.

Wage increases will be effective the beginning of the next full pay period.

Implementation of the wage increases will be in 90-120 days.

KP ProTech/Optical and Pharmacy members should see retro pay within two pay periods following the implementation date.

Congratulations!

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Kelly Kanary

Kelly Kanary

Kelly Kanary has been working for Kaiser Permanente as a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist since 2015. Many union activists don’t get involved until workplace issues arise and suddenly they are getting a crash course in shop floor organizing, which is how Kelly got involved.

With Kelly it was the Continuing Education requirements that Kaiser CRNAs has that started things off for her. To maintain certification, CRNAs, like other healthcare workers, must complete a high level of continuing education hours, often called CEs. Without meeting those CE requirements, workers can lose their certification and employment. Kelly worked with her colleagues and management to improve how they get the time needed for the required Continuing Education.

Kelly really enjoyed advocating for her coworkers and has now led her team of CRNAs at Capitol Hill through during a shift rebid period and has started serving on the Staffing Committee. CRNA’s at Kaiser’s Central Hospital on Capitol Hill are lucky to have her in their court!

Kaiser Permanente WA Pro Tech, Optical, & Pharmacy WAGE INCREASES Online VOTE scheduled

Our union Bargaining Teams have reached a tentative agreement on mid-contract wage increases and are recommending a yes vote!

ONLINE VOTE SCHEDULED: Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 7am-5pm

On Thursday morning you will receive an email with your unique log-in credentials so you can review the wage increase proposal and vote. You must be a member in good standing to be eligible to participate in union votes, make sure your personal email is up-to-date use the QR code or visit ufcw3000.org >>

ONLINE INFORMATION MEETINGS:

Drop-in vote meetings to review the wage increase proposal and ask questions: Monday, April 15 from 5:30pm-6:30pm and Tuesday, April 16 from 12pm-1pm and 5:30pm-6:30pm

If you do not receive an email to vote on April 18, please contact union Rep Lauren VanWormer 206-436-6584 or Contract Specialist Rep JJ Benson 425-306-1357.

KAISER PRO TECH/OPTICAL & PHARMACY TAKING ACTION GETS RESULTS, TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON WAGE INCREASES!

“Together we showed how strong we are as a Union and what we can accomplish when we come together!” —Jeannette (JJ) Benson

As KP WA UFCW3000 members, alongside the thousands of workers in the Alliance of Healthcare Unions, we let management know that enough is enough. As a result of your ongoing action over the last two years including petitions, postcards, and, most recently, the demand letter —Management has agreed to market rate adjustments, resulting in wage increases for UFCW members!

On Tuesday, April 2, our union team from Pro Tech Optical and Pharmacy along with Leaders from the Alliance of Healthcare Workers met with Management and successfully negotiated for mid-contract wage increases. These increases will be in addition to the contractual increases ratified in 2021.

Union Members will have an opportunity to review and discuss the tentative wage increases and vote. Additional information with dates and times will be sent soon. All members in good standing are encouraged to vote, make sure your current contact information, including your personal email address are up to date!

Update your information ahead of the vote: ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

“I appreciate giving feedback and seeing something happen as a result.” —Vicki Kobeski

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Vanessa Wixom

Vanessa Wixom and her daughter enjoy some time outdoors

Vanessa Wixom works as a Pharmacy Tech at the Riverfront location for Kaiser Permanente in Spokane Washington.  Vanessa is a fantastic leader in her workplace, and is always very proactive she and her coworkers have concerns by making sure that their rights as union workers are respected by Kaiser.  Outside of work Vanessa is a mom, loves spending time with her family, and enjoying the outdoors with the gorgeous Northwest scenery in Eastern Washington.  Vanessa’s love for the outdoors has led her to be a volunteer for the local River/Park cleanups in Spokane to make sure that others can enjoy them.  Thank you for all of your hard work Vanessa!

Kaiser Labor Job Positions are open - Apply now!

KAISER WORKERS, Come work with your Union: Kaiser Permanente Labor Positions NOW OPEN for January 2024!

UFCW3000 and the Alliance of Healthcare Unions, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, invite you to apply to one of two open positions:

• Contract Specialist – one year term

• Alliance Partnership Representative (APR) – three year term

Both positions offer great opportunity to learn new skills and spend time doing meaningful work that has a direct impact on Kaiser workplaces.

If selected, you will be released from your current role. In your new role, you will continue to receive the same pay, benefits and seniority accrual, returning to your position after your contractual term.

Applications due by September 15. Both positions start January 2024.

APR JOB DESCRIPTION: Download job description here.
To Apply: please email resume with KPWA APR Position in the subject line to: cmacphail@ufcw3000.org, lvanwormer@ufcw3000.org, betelhem.michael@ahcunions.org, becky.t.peterson@kp.org 

CONTRACT SPECIALIST JOB DESCIPTION: Download job description here.
To apply: Please fill out CONTRACT SPECIALIST Application here

Kaiser Pro-Tech & Optical - Online Vote on NEW CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE!

Kaiser Pro-Tech & Optical - Online Vote on NEW CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE!

After lengthy negotiations, UFCW and Kaiser have agreed to change the contract expiry date from April 30, 2025 to October 1, 2025. This new expire date lines up with the National Alliance Agreement! This change is fully recommended by members of the Bargaining Team!

The full proposal language will be made available during the online vote on August 30, 2022 from 5am–5pm .

You will receive an email from UFCW 3000 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. To vote online make sure your information is up to date!

In order to receive a secure ballot to vote on this contract expiration date change, make sure your personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email please visit ufcw21.org/update-your-information to update or scan the QR code with your phone camera ▸

If you do not receive an email to vote on August 30, 2022, please reach out our Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie at 206-436-6584 to provide an updated email address.

PRE-VOTE INFORMATION MEETING August 29!

Drop in between 9–10am or 7–8pm on August 29. It is important that members attend the Zoom Meeting to review the proposed expiry date change and have your questions answered.

Kaiser Pharmacy Spokane update on new contract language & premiums

Kaiser Pharmacy Spokane update on new contract language & premiums

Our Negotiation Team has been working with Kaiser both locally and nationally to ensure that our contract agreements are implemented fairly and paid out accurately.

Because Kaiser’s payroll system is run nationally, we are working with the National Alliance of Health Care Unions to help ensure that all changes to payroll codes are implemented as soon as possible.

We are in discussion with Kaiser Washington to push them towards a manual fix - Kaiser’s payment codes are not yet programmed into the payroll system. Management needs to manually keep track of what you are owed to ensure members are compensated quickly and accurately! This is a work-in-progress and we will keep you updated as we push Kaiser toward a solution.

Don’t miss out on important updates! Make sure you and your coworkers’ information is correct and up-to-date!

ufcw21.org/update-your-information

For further information about our contract or to get involved, please contact our Union Representative Lenaya Wilhelm @ 509-340-7369

Kaiser Permanente - Update

New Contract

Wage Increases should be paid out starting with the paycheck on the week of February 4. We are working on finalizing the new contracts and will get them to you as soon as possible.

General Membership Meetings 

GMMs will be held February 9-11 in-person at a variety of locations. For more information go to here.

Covid Benefits

Work during the pandemic has been a constant challenge for all and we are requesting the KP WA step up and reinstate Covid Benefits and provide incentives. Discussions have been happening both locally and with the National Alliance to make this happen. Stay tuned for more information about how you can participate!

Safe Staffing

UFCW, SEIU and WSNA along with dozens of other unions and community organizations are working together in Olympia to show our state lawmakers that our community cares about safe staffing. Senate Bill 5751 and House Bill 1868 create laws to improve worker safety and patient care. We are collecting member stories to present to lawmakers regarding current working conditions and staffing challenges. You can find the petition link here:

For additional information contact:

Christina Delgado

Contract Specialist KP/UFCW 21 

Christina.a.delgado@kp.org

425.306.1357

Rhonda Fisher-Ivie 

UFCW Local 21 Union Representative

rfisherivie@ufcw21.org 

253.245.3739

Kaiser Permanente - Contracts Ratified!

All three UFCW 21 Kaiser Permanente Washington contracts were ratified this week.

Eastern Washington Pharmacy voted December 6 to join the Pharmacy membership and approve Spokane Specific Agreements.

Western Washington Pro Tech Optical and Pharmacy contracts were voted online and ratified on December 8.

Alliance National Agreement was ratified in all three contracts!

Highlights include:

• Four Year Agreement with wage increases each year and additional 2% bonuses in years three and four.

• Improvements to Premiums

• Improved contract language-Education, Seniority, Rebid & Layoff, Staffing and Labor Management Committees

• Increase in Retiree Medical Benefits from $350 for each year of service to $1000 for each year

• Higher Funding of the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust

• Changes to the Pensions for all Western Washington Optical and Pharmacy Workers with additional employer contributions

• New National Agreement language which addresses:

  • Staffing

  • Racial Justice

• Patient and Worker Safety

• Problem and Dispute Resolution

• Additional Information will be made available.

Welcome, Spokane Pharmacy Techs to UFCW21!

Please reach out to your Union Representative for any questions or needed support:
Western Washington
Rhonda Fisher-Ivie
Union Representative
(206) 436-6584

Eastern Washington
Maureen Hatton
Union Representative
(509) 340-7370

Christina Delgado
UFCW 21 Contract Specialist
(425) 623-7073

Bargaining Team: Tiffany Yeates and Jackie McFarlen, Union Stewards Spokane Clinics

Kaiser Pharmacy - Tentative Agreement Reach on Local & National Bargains!

Tentative Agreement Reached on local & national bargains!

Our Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser on a new local collective bargaining agreement for Pharmacy and a National Agreement through the Alliance of Health Care Unions. We are very excited to tell you that these agreements include the following: 

• COMPETITIVE WAGE INCREASES each year of the agreement and continued bonuses through the Performance Sharing Program
  3% 2021; 3% 2022; 2% + 2% bonus 2023; 2% + 2% bonus 2024

• INCLUDES FULL RETRO PAY BACK TO October 1, 2021

• Increase Retiree Medical from $350 per year of service to $1,000 per year of service

• Improvements to Access for Education with escalation of benefits

• Secured Sound Retirement Pension and increased funding

• And so much more!

Full details of the contract offers will be available during online vote on Wednesday, December 8 from 6AM to 8PM. You will recieve an email from UFCW 21 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information.

TO VOTE ONLINE MAKE SURE YOUR INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE!

In order to vote on both proposals, everyone needs to make sure their personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please visit ufcw21.org/update-your-information and update your information. If you do not receive an email to vote on December 8, please reach out to Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie at rfisherivie@ufcw21.org or 206-436-6584 no later than 5PM on the day of the vote to provide an updated email address.

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs Tentative Agreement Reached on local and national bargains

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs

Tentative Agreement Reached on local & national bargains!

After months of bargaining and organizing together for a first contract, your Spokane Pharmacy Tech Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser on a local collective bargaining agreement and a National Agreement through the Alliance of Health Care Unions. We are very excited to tell you that these agreements include the following:

• The Western Washington Wage Scale

• Maintain Your Current Retirement Plan

• COMPETITIVE ACROSS THE BOARD WAGE INCREASES each year and bonuses through the Performance Sharing Program 3% 2021; 3% 2022; 2% + 2% bonus 2023; 2% + 2% bonus 2024

• Additional Step Wage Increases each year

• Retiree Medical $1,000 per year of service

• Education Benefits locally and Nationally

• New Premiums, Benefits, and Differentials

• Just Cause Protections and Grievance Procedure

• Specific language to address Spokane issues including on-call shifts, floating, vacation requests and so much more!

The full details of the offer will be made available during our In-Person vote meetings on December 6. You must be present in-person and a member in good standing to be eligible to vote on the contract.

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Tech Vote Meetings Monday December 6, drop-in 7-10AM & 5–8PM

UFCW 21 Spokane Office: 2805 N. Market St., Spokane, WA 99207

Please contact Union Representative Maureen Hatton with any questions, 509-340-7370.

Kaiser Pro Tech Optical Tentative Agreement Reached on local & national bargains

Kaiser Pro Tech Optical

Tentative Agreement Reached on local & national bargains!

Our Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser on a new four-year local collective bargaining agreement for Pro Tech Optical and a National Agreement through the Alliance of Health Care Unions. We are very excited to tell you that these agreements include the following:

• COMPETITIVE WAGE INCREASES each year of the agreement and continued bonuses through the Performance Sharing Program 3% 2021; 3% 2022; 2% + 2% bonus 2023; 2% + 2% bonus 2024

• INCLUDES FULL RETRO PAY BACK TO October 1, 2021

• Increase Retiree Medical from $350 per year of service to

• $1,000 per year of service

• Improvements to Certification Pay and access to Education Funds

• And so much more!

Full details of the contract offers will be available during online vote on Wednesday, December 8 from 6AM to 8PM. You will receive an email from UFCW 21 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information.

to vote online Make sure your information is up to date!

In order to vote on both proposals, everyone needs to make sure their personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please visit ufcw21.org/update-your-information and update your information. If you do not receive an email to vote on December 8, please reach out to Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie at rfisherivie@ufcw21.org or 206-436-6584 no later than 5PM on the day of the vote to provide an updated email address.

UFCW21 Kaiser Update - TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED!

After months of local and national bargaining, Informational Picketing and Leaflets, and negotiating last week through the night - UFCW21 and all Union Members in the Alliance of Health Care Unions reached a Tentative Agreement on all contracts!

In Local negotiations for both Pro Tech Optical and Pharmacy, our Bargaining Team won additional improvements in premiums and staffing and contractual language, with NO TAKEAWAYS. We secured improvements for Optical and Pharmacy’s Sound Health Retirement Pension- with a guarantee to increase contribution rates to a percentage of salary during the life of the contract. Other highlights include increasing Retiree Medical for all KPWA UFCW21 members from $350 to $1000 for every year of service and Strong Across the Board Wage increases and bonuses each year of the contract. We will continue partnering with SEIU and OPEIU to advocate for improvements to our healthcare in KPWA.

Additionally, the newly organized Spokane Pharmacy Techs won a historic contract including the Western Washington wage scale, maintaining their current retirement, new premiums and benefits, and an accretion allowing them to unite in strength and solidarity with hundreds of UFCW21 Pharmacy members in Western Washington.

In the next couple of days, UFCW21 will send out a vote notice to all members with dates and times of votes in December.

Please update your contact information- so that you receive all notices and can participate in meetings and the Online Vote in Western Washington. Spokane Pharmacy Techs will have an in-person Vote Meeting in Spokane. Go to: ufcw21.org/update-your-information

Read the full bargaining update from Alliance at: ufcw21.org/s/alliance-update-we-did-it.pdf

Kaiser Permanente Pro Tech Optical and Pharmacy - Enough is Enough! Strike Authorization Votes Set for December 8

On Wednesday KP Professional, Technical and Optical workers along with community allies marched in informational pickets at clinics in Bellevue, Capitol Hill and Tacoma. In Silverdale, union members handed out leaflets to patients and community members. The weather was clear and all participants had fun with chants, waving signs and enjoying the opportunity to come out on a lunch break and tell KP enough is ENOUGH!

The morning began as our coworkers from SEIU 1199 and OPEIU 8 wore stickers in solidarity in all three picket locations. At 11:30 when the marching and chanting began, KP was prepared with a strong presence of both security and management. One member commented that she had rarely seen security until this day and had never seen the director prowling around the doorways.

The media were present to capture all the noise and excitement. Union members were happy at Capitol Hill when a local business brought cups of hot chocolate to warm them up!

In the News!

Health Care Workers to Picket at 3 Kaiser Permanente Hospitals

https://www.q13fox.com/news/health-care-workers-to-picket-at-3-kaiser-permanente-hospitals

Kaiser Permanente Workers Picket in Preparation for Possible Strike

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2021/11/04/62541228/kaiser-permanente-workers-picket-in-preparation-for-possible-strike

In Washington, we return back to local and national bargaining this week. UFCW 21 is preparing next steps which include a Strike Authorization Vote on

December 8 for members in the Pro-Tech Optical and Spokane units—and training for all leaders on common questions regarding strikes. More information to come!

Remember—it is a violation of Labor Law to intimidate workers engaged in protected concerted union activity, so workers should not experience any retaliation for their actions picketing or leafleting. Please notify UFCW 21 immediately if you have reason to believe you are being retaliated against in any way.

National Bargaining Update

National Bargaining continues. KP is still ignoring the worker shortage and the dedication all employees have shown throughout the pandemic by offering low increases and a two-tier wage system, meaning future employees will earn less.

Last week, three of the Alliance’s largest unions—UNAC/UHCP (SCAL Bargaining Units), USW Local 7600, and OFNHP—have announced that they will strike starting November 15 unless negotiations improve. Collectively, the three unions represent 32,000 Kaiser Permanente workers in CA, OR, and WA. An additional 8,000 Alliance members have taken strike votes and may issue a strike notice shortly. Nationally, conversations continue this week to try and reach an agreement before the November 15 deadline.

See the full update with recent economic proposals here:

https://qrco.de/nov4update

Questions? Please contact Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie, 206-436-6584 or Contract Specialist Christina Delgado, 425-306-1357.

Telephone Town Hall Calls for Healthcare Members Monday November 1

Join us for a live telephone town hall with fellow health care workers and our union reps and bargainers for updates on how our union is addressing the staffing crisis in coalition with other health care unions, ways we’re advocating for safer staffing, retention bonuses, incentive pay, and how you can get involved. 

Health Care Workers’ Telephone Town Hall: Monday Nov. 1 @ 6:30 PM 

You will receive a phone call at the number we have on file for you between 6:30 and 6:40pm on Monday, but if you miss the call or don’t receive it, just call in yourself: 

Call-in number: 888-544-2310  Meeting ID: 6309 

Join fellow Kaiser Permanente workers for a union telephone town hall to discuss our latest bargaining sessions and our fight for a fair contract! This Weds November 3 we will hold Informational Picketing for Pro Tech Optical members at Bellevue, Capitol Hill, and Tacoma Specialty Clinics, and Leafleting at Silverdale.  

All Pharmacy and Pro Tech Optical members are invited to sticker up and invite family/friends to Informational Pickets to show solidarity on this day. Get all the updates and ask questions of our union rep and bargainers. 

*Special Guests includes Hal Ruddick, Executive Director from the Alliance of Health Care Unions and members of our 21 bargaining teams.  

Kaiser Permanente Bargaining Telephone Town Hall: Monday Nov. 1 @ 7:30 PM 

You will receive a phone call at the number we have on file for you between 6:30 and 6:40pm on Monday, but if you miss the call or don’t receive it, just call in yourself: 

Call-in number: 888-652-5403 Meeting ID: 6381 

RSVP online for the November 3 Informational Pickets (Pro Tech Optical only) https://bit.ly/kip102021. 

Questions? Please contact Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie, 206-436-6584, or Contract Specialist Christina Delgado, 425-306-1357. 

Kaiser Permanente Pro Tech Optical and Pharmacy Update October 25 - Informational Picketing and Solidarity—We are One KPWA!

After several months of bargaining with Kaiser Permanente, union members are still waiting for management to recognize the extreme working conditions and sub-optimal staffing they are continuing to experience during an ongoing international pandemic. Kaiser seems unwilling to acknowledge that workers have stepped up and provided the best care without missing a beat. 

Furthermore, management continues to insist that KPWA employees are already receiving above average wages. During recent local bargaining, management was condescending and short tempered with our bargaining team, who have been working diligently to provide contract language that is respectful of workers and their families. But management is looking for takeaways. Join us to show Kaiser what Solidarity looks like—all workers, patients, and community standing together for Staffing and Retention.  

INFORMATIONAL PICKETING (Pro-Tech Optical ONLY)
Wednesday, November 3
11:30AM – 1:30PM

Bellevue Medical Center

• 11511 NE 10th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

Central Campus (Capitol Hill)

• 201 16th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

Tacoma Medical Center

• 209 M.L.K. Jr. Way, Tacoma, WA 98405

Silverdale Medical Center (Leafleting only)

• 10452 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, WA 98383

Wear Solidarity Stickers if you work in another Clinic, work in Pharmacy, or another Union! 

• Pharmacy Members cannot participate in picketing due to local contract expiring 7/31/22.

• Spokane Pharmacy Techs will be wearing Solidarity Stickers.

Pro-Tech Optical members may join informational picketing on lunch, break, or before/after work. Everyone’s friends and family can attend−all are welcome! Please help share widely. 

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Hold the Date! UFCW 21 Kaiser Telephone Town Hall on Monday, November 1. You will receive a phone call at 7:30PM—just pick up to join!

Kaiser UFCW21 members will discuss our rights to join informational picketing and wear solidarity stickers, share bargaining updates, and answer questions. You may update your contact information online.

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National Bargaining Update 

Last week, three of the Alliance’s largest unions−UNAC/UHCP, United Steelworkers Local 7600, and OFNHP−AFT Local 5017 −announced that over 95% of each union’s members voted to authorize a strike. This week, two more locals announced their members also voted overwhelmingly to authorize strikes−Unite Here! Local 5 in Hawaii, and UFCW Locals in SCAL. Collectively, these five unions represent 36,000 Alliance members eligible to strike now with more locals voting soon. We are united to win for our patients, our communities, and each other! #BestJobsBestCare #safestaffingsaveslives

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Learn about your rights to Informational Picket, ask questions, and help coworkers organize a successful action. Join us for the next Contract Action Team meeting!

Wednesday, October 27 • 6:00 PM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

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For questions or for more information, please contact your Union Steward or Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie at 206-436-6584. 

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs Spokane Wages pushed to National Table

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs

Spokane Wages pushed to National Table

“We are not backing down- it’s unacceptable for Kaiser to expect us to be the only Union employees in Spokane to have inferior wages to Western Washington. Join us in solidarity and wear our Yellow and Blue Ribbons every Tuesday until we reach a fair contract!”
- Bargaining Team: Jackie McFarlen & Tiffany Yeates

After months of bargaining, we were not able to reach final agreement locally on a wage scale and retirement for Spokane Pharmacy Techs. UFCW21 and all Unions within the Alliance of Health Care Unions are UNITED that there should be ONE wage scale for each Region at Kaiser. In Washington- this has always been true- OPEIU 8 and SEIU1199 members in Spokane are on the same wage scale as their coworkers in Western Washington. Spokane Pharmacy Techs deserve the same respect and equity- especially when so many of us have given our careers to Group Health and Kaiser. National Benefits has not yet agreed to let us maintain our current Retirement plan. Both issues have been pushed to the National Table and the Alliance, with 55,000 members, has said there is no National Deal until Spokane issues are settled.

All UFCW 21 contracts are now at the National Table- Pro Tech Optical, Pharmacy, and Spokane Pharmacy Techs- pushing together for benefit improvements to make us comparable to other Regions.

We are united for:

• Improved Medical Costs like the Northwest Region

• Increase Retiree Medical for years of service (WA $350/yr of service, other Regions up to $2500/yr of service)

• Local Market Adjustments

• Education Benefits

• One Wage Scale for Region

Kaiser is pushing everywhere in the country for a Two Tiered Wage Scale and has proposed 1% Across the Board Increases. With little progress- we are moving forward with Action for September and October. We’re ready to fight for our patients and all health care workers.

TAKE ACTION TO WIN A GREAT NATIONAL AND SPOKANE CONTRACT

UNION SOLIDARITY TUESDAYS

Every Tuesday, Union members are wearing union colors until we win a fair contract. In Spokane- our stewards have made Yellow and Blue ribbons for all Techs. They will take them to all Clinics- please wear them every Tuesday in Solidarity! Take a photo wearing them together and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and @UFCW21

SIGN THE PETITION

Tell KP to invest in patient care and health care workers. Sign and share the petition. Share it co-workers and friends on social media. tinyurl.com/kaiser-petition

LOCAL ACTIONS

Join the Contract Action Team meeting Wednesday, September 22 at 6:00pm via zoom! Zoom links available in the email update or contact your Rep!

Kaiser Alliance of Health Care Unions Bargaining Update

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 BARGAINING UPDATE

Final national bargaining session ended with no progress

We’re ready to fight for our patients and all health care workers.

After months of stalling by KP negotiators, scheduled national bargaining sessions ended today. “Because of management’s approach, these negotiations are in serious trouble – unlike anything our Alliance unions have experienced with Kaiser Permanente since the 1990’s,” said Alliance chief negotiator Hal Ruddick. “Unless management dramatically changes course, this conflict will continue to escalate. The Alliance is united, strong, and ready to stand up for our members and our patients.”

We are united, determined, and ready to win a good contract, and defend our patients and the organization we have built. We will take a stand for our patients, co-workers, and all healthcare workers.

TAKE ACTION TO WIN A GREAT NATIONAL CONTRACT

UNION SOLIDARITY TUESDAYS

Every Tuesday, wear your union gear to work until we win a fair contract. (Mondays if you’re in Colorado). Take a photo wearing your union gear and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and your local union.

SIGN THE PETITION

Tell KP to invest in patient care and health care workers. Scan the QR code to sign the petition. After you sign it, share it co-workers and friends on social media. tinyurl.com/kaiser-petition

LOCAL ACTIONS

In the coming days, connect with your local union to participate in local actions and learn about the next steps in our national contract campaign. Remember to follow your local union and the Alliance on social media. Our handle is @AHCUnions. Check our web site for up coming updates and breaking news on national bargaining.

TOGETHER, WE WILL WIN

Public opinion, elected leaders, our labor allies, and our strength and unity are all in our favor. We are 52,000 strong, and KP has no path to winning this fight. KP’s proposal is out of sync with what is happening in healthcare today, as other employers provide wage increases, benefits improvements, sign on bonuses and more to recruit and retain employees. We will never let two-tier wages lead us into a broken healthcare system with worsening patient outcomes.

KP execs have abandoned a high-road, market-leading strategy that has brought them 24 years of tremendous success. An inexperienced new crop of KP executives are now

embracing a chaotic, anti-union, low-road strategy that failed in the 90s and will fail again. This is our organization, we built it, we’re powering it through a pandemic, and we’re going to defend it. Instead of proposing to decrease wages or offering an insulting 1% wage increase, we should be focused on addressing our urgent staffing needs and regional wage disparities.

JOIN US TO PROTECT OUR PATIENTS AND EACH OTHER.

Kaiser Alliance of Health Care Unions Bargaining Update

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 BARGAINING UPDATE

Progress on racial justice, safety and dispute resolution; KP digs in on destructive staffing and economic positions

With contract negotiations entering their final scheduled days next week, our bargaining team made progress on racial justice, patient and worker safety, and improving dispute resolution. But KP clung to destructive, unsustainable positions on economics and staffing. The final national bargaining sessions are next Wednesday, September 8, through Friday, September 10.

“It’s hard to understand what their strategy is, if any – but KP negotiators have painted themselves into a corner, leaving many, many issues unresolved while doubling down on proposals that will exacerbate the crisis in staffing, worker shortages, patient care, and morale. We have made it clear we will never agree to proposals that threaten workers and patients,” said Nate Bernstein, Healthcare Director of UFCW Local 7.
There were some bright spots of agreement. Labor and Management members of the Racial Justice subcommittee jointly recommended that Juneteenth be established as a paid holiday. They also recommended implementing processes and programs such as Belong@KP to address racial trauma/fatigue, funding citizenship assistance, and others. The labor side of the subcommittee recommended establishing a nonprofit organization dedicated to training underrepresented health care workers and the appropriate observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday.

The subcommittee on patient and worker safety reached consensus on adding language to the National Agreement on Just Culture, a recognition program for reporting of near misses, identifying and developing a communication process for emergency preparedness, and updating prevention of workplace violence. The group also recommended creation of a National Health, Safety and Well-Being Committee to ensure that Just Culture and Psychological Safety are integrated into current work streams.

There was also consensus on recommendations that could improve the speed and effectiveness of dispute resolution. The Problem and Dispute Resolution subcommittee recommended developing guidance or techniques for getting “unstuck” if groups find themselves at an impasse in the Issue Resolution process. They’ve recommended the guide be short, simple, and easily accessible for immediate reference.

KP clings to lower staffing and patient care standards
Stonewalling on staffing and patient care: Workers in every region, union, and department are in urgent need of adequate staff to provide KP members with the service and quality of care they deserve. In the face of this crisis, management members of the subcommittee stalled and derailed discussions. As a result, the group had very few joint recommendations.

While management was trying to run out the clock, labor subcommittee members crafted thoughtful recommendations to provide Alliance union members with information, structures, and processes to enable us to work with management on staffing solutions. Labor recommendations include new structures such as a Labor- Management Staffing Committees in every region, a national escalation process to resolve disputes, limits on the use of travelers, and timelines to hold management accountable for providing information.

KP economic proposals would make staffing and patient care even worse: KP negotiators clung to a discredited proposal to create a two-tier wage scale creating two classes of workers, current workers on a higher pay scale and new hires on a lower scale for their entire career. KP’s two-tier wage scale would undermine patient care, increase staffing shortages, and further harm exhausted workers. Given the current delta surges, many health care systems are acting fast and doing everything they can to recruit and retain staff, including offering sign-on bonuses, special incentives, and generous wage increases. KP chose this time of crisis to propose the worst contract terms in the history of partnership.

Local bargaining gridlock looms: KP local negotiators appear to have gotten a message to refuse to agree on almost everything, which is only creating a pile- up at the national table. “We will resolve first contracts that have lingered for years, we will address hundreds of unresolved local issues, we will find a solution to wage injustice in the Inland Empire and Kern, and we will raise standards in KP Washington where they are far below the rest of the enterprise,” said Alliance Executive Director Hal Ruddick.

Contract Action Team Mtg
Wednesday, September 8, 6:00 pm via zoom:

UFCW 21 Teletown Hall Monday,
September 13 at 6:30pm

Attendee Phone Number: 888-652-0384
Meeting ID: 6276

UNION SOLIDARITY TUESDAYS

Every Tuesday, wear your union gear to work to show KP we are united to protect our patients and each other. (Mondays if you’re in Colorado). Take a photo wearing your union gear and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and your local union

TELL KP TO INVEST IN PATIENT CARE
AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Sign the petition!

After you sign it, share it co-workers and friends on social media.

Questions? Contact Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie, 206-436-6584