SEIU's Dave Regan Reveals Plans for Concessions at Kaiser Permanente

John August and Dave Regan

A reader sent along some highly revealing information about SEIU’s plan for upcoming negotiations with Kaiser Permanente, which begin in March.

It turns out that last week, the "partnership unions" -- the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions -- held a "delegates conference" in San Jose, California where Dave Regan and other union officials described their plans for the bargaining. One of the delegates sent along some clips of speeches by Regan and John August. August is a former SEIU official who now heads the Coalition of Kaiser Unions and is the lead negotiator for the bargaining with Kaiser.

So what's SEIU's plan for upcoming negotiations? According to a delegate: "Here's what's clear from the meeting. Regan and John August have already cut a deal with Kaiser to cut our benefits. And now they're trying to get the members to accept their deal."

The delegate describes how Regan and August started the meeting by feeding the delegates tons of gloom-and-doom about the U.S. economy, unemployment, etc. Of course, Regan and August conveniently forgot to tell the delegates that Kaiser is making record profits of $5.6 billion, gives eight separate pensions to each of its top executives, and handed CEO George Halvorson a $1 million pay increase last year.

Regan then proceeded to tell the Kaiser workers that they’re overpaid… and that Kaiser wants to take away their benefits. Check out this one-minute clip from Regan's speech.

Sounds like the Boss talking, right? Would you want him bargaining your contract?

At this point, Regan starts to “sell” the delegates on his idea of “getting in front of Kaiser’s cuts” by having workers preemptively offer to cut their own benefits so as to improve Kaiser's cost structure! Regan delivers his sales-pitch in a tough-guy voice, telling delegates that the partnership unions need to “call Kaiser to a higher place.” So what’s this “higher place?” Regan explains that it’s an expanded Wellness Program for Kaiser employees that he calls, “Let’s Get Healthy Kaiser.” (Tasty is not kidding.)

In a hint at the Wellness wonders to come, Regan describes the kinds of benefit cuts that other workers are facing: “If you're overweight, you pay 10% more for your health care. If you smoke, you pay 20% more. If you do this or that, you pay more. That's what's going on out there.”

And that's not all... Regan says his Wellness cuts are just one of "the 4 or 5 things” that workers need to give up to Kaiser. It's not clear what the others are. And, in a clear indication of SEIU's plan to sell out its members, Regan offers no plan whatsoever to the delegates for fighting Kaiser’s takeaways. In fact, Regan says SEIU can’t go to the bargaining table and simply say “No” to Kaiser’s cuts.

After Regan finishes his speech, his tag-team partner, John August, takes the mic and tells the delegates that the Coalition's "Executive Committee" has already approved Regan's plan. August then starts channeling Andy Stern, telling delegates about the need to be a “21^st century union..." which basically translates into selling out the members. According to one delegate's account: “You know it's total bullshit when union leaders start telling us we need to be ‘innovative’ and ‘transformational.’ When they start using those words, the bullshit meter in my head starts exploding.”

Check it out for yourself. Here's a 20-minute clip of speeches by Regan and John August:

SEIU Official's Love Affair Lands Him on Paid Leave

It looks like Dave Regan didn’t offer very good advice to his buddy, Steve Matthews (the top official at SEIU Local 721), who’s been waist deep in a dramatic, extra-marital affair with an SEIU staffer.

The last time we tuned into this scandal, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry had dispatched a pair of “personal representatives” to “investigate allegations against Local 721’s executive director.” And Dave Regan was overheard offering advice to Matthews about how to manage the deepening crisis.

Meanwhile, staffers at Local 721 described how Steve’s wife was repeatedly phoning the union’s office in a desperate attempt to track down Steve’s girlfriend, who’d conveniently disappeared on extended sick leave from her job as an SEIU organizer. Union staffers busily exchanged text messages about the latest lurid details while the union’s rank-and-file members wondered how their union hall had become a set for a particularly trashy episode of “Entertainment Tonight” or “the Jerry Springer Show.”

So what’s the latest? Well, it looks like Matthews has been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Union officials recently circulated the following notice announcing they’ve placed Matthews on paid administrative leave. Meanwhile, Matthews’s girlfriend is apparently still on paid sick leave… so it's possible that the two of them are enjoying a "love" vacation funded by SEIU’s members. 

Here’s the announcement:

From the desk of Bob Schoonover

Following the Executive Board meeting held yesterday January 11, 2012, the Executive Director was placed on paid administrative leave. Please direct any questions regarding this matter to me. All media inquiries should be referred to the Director of Communications Marie Lemelle.

At this time, staff who reported directly to the Executive Director should now report to the Chief of Staff, Gilda Valdez.

It is more important than ever that we stay focused and remain committed to improving the lives of our members and their families. Let’s continue to work together to preserve and maintain the strength and integrity of our union.

In solidarity,

Bob Schoonover

So what’s next? Well, Tasty will report on the next scenes of this sordid drama. Meanwhile, Tasty wonders how long it will take before Regan’s multiple extra-marital flings finally catch up to him… especially his trysts with SEIU staffers and members. Hmmm… Tasty thinks this whole web of SEIU love scandals would make a particularly interesting episode for the Jerry Springer Show: Steve, Dave and all their ex’s on one stage... and dressed in various shades of purple!

SEIU's Lifeline to Crocodile Dundee

It looks like SEIU-UHW officials had to go all the way to Australia to get some help for their campaign at Kaiser Permanente. According to Kaiser workers, SEIU has flown in a dozen staffers from an Australian union called "Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU)." Last year, the union underwent an SEIU-styled re-branding effort that changed its name to "United Voice."

Tasty hears that, for nearly a decade, SEIU's Andy Stern has been cultivating a relationship with the Aussie union and its top official, Louise Tarrant, by flying to sunny Melbourne and Sydney on SEIU members' dime. Apparently, SEIU's President Emeritus really digs the international travel... especially because it allows him to escape the cold winters on the East Coast!

So what are the Aussies doing in California? Well, Kaiser workers have spotted them with SEIU staffers patrolling Kaiser hospitals in San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Santa Rosa, South San Francisco, etc in the run-up to next week's strike. At one hospital, an Aussie attended the EVS Department's "group huddle" during shift-change and tried to promote SEIU to the assembled workers, who were under the watchful eye of a Kaiser supervisor.

An astute EVS worker quickly asked the purple-shirted Aussie: "So... are you gonna be honoring the picket line during next Tuesday's strike?" As the tongue-tied Aussie stared down at her shoes, it became crystal clear that the Aussies are not super interested in international labor solidarity. Instead, it looks like they've parachuted into California to work alongside their purple-shirted buddies and Kaiser's multi-millionaire bosses to try to undermine next week's strike by 22,000 workers from three unions.

So, Kaiser workers... when you see an Aussie in your facility, ask them this:  Back in Australia, does your union normally undermine workers who are fighting to defend their pensions and health insurance? Well... WTF are you doing to California's workers? Time to call Qantas and get your ass back to Australia!

Rebellion inside the Regan Regime

It looks like things are spiraling downwards at SEIU-UHW. Last month, more than 40 members of SEIU-UHW’s Executive Board demanded a meeting with Dave Regan to address a deepening crisis at the union... including the lack of democracy, the failure to represent union members (or even return their phone calls), SEIU's loyalty oaths, disrespect towards members (including by SEIU's Joe Simoes), the deepening crisis in SEIU-UHW's Kaiser Division, etc.

A source gave Tasty a copy of the materials, including this email from Alisha Blinks (an Executive Board member) to other board members. (FYI- the bold and underlined text is exactly how it appeared in the original email.)

From: Alisha Blinks

Subject: Meeting with Dave Agenda

Date: Monday, December 12, 2011, 4:01 AM

Good Evening Everyone;

Below you will find the agenda for Tuesday's meeting with Dave.  We will be meeting first at the UHW office among ourselves from 7-730PM and then with Dave.  These membership specific issues should cover the North and South.  Just remember this is only the beginning of the talks to get our union back on track.  I will keep notes to report out to the South.  There will be NO AGREEMENTS MADE WITH THIS REGIME UNTIL WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AS ONE BODY!  

I WILL SEE ALL OF YOU TUESDAY

Day: Tuesday December 13 2011

Time: 7:00PM (7-730PM will be a quick briefing)

Place: UHW Office

          560 Thomas L Berkeley Way

          Oakland CA

Blinks's email also contains a two-page memo -- entitled “Crux of Complaint” -- that paints a dire picture of life under the "Regan regime." (A complete copy of the memo is here). Here's what it says:

The Kaiser Division is in crisis and below is the reasons why we cannot function with these problems any longer.  Deadlines aren’t being kept, staff is not showing up to appointments and the support for the leaders at the facilities from staff is absent from this equation. The usage of the Steward Councils to promote organizing campaigns, pushing of agendas not ratified, constant aggravation to the members requesting their loyalty; where is the Kaiser Division’s loyalty to us?  No trainings, no regional input, no report outs but only consistent training of how to organize, agitate a member or give a CRE. Members want protection, security and fairness from their employer and their union. The priorities of this leadership and the governing body are on opposite ends and it is our responsibility to correct this as a whole and it first starts with listening on the leaderships part…  

The Kaiser Division Director [Joe Simoes] and Sr. Staff members are making inappropriate comments to rank and file leaders, along with mischievous behavior that's inexcusable.  This leadership continues to act divisive and pitting members against one another.  It is disrespectful, disheartening and will no longer be tolerated.  The democracy this union scarcely holds onto is beginning to rapidly diminish.  Instead of forming a cohesive working relationship which can benefit us all we are constantly apologizing to our members for failed processes.  Moreover, calls from staff aren’t being returned, emails not responded to and it has reached the point where members and leaders are just being ignored. Our house is not in order…

This membership body has been patient, transparent and forthright in wanting to partner, however this behavior has not been reciprocated by the current leadership. This sixty plus year union is the way it is because of the knowledge of our leaders, the protection of our members and unity we share.  We are tired of being in a race to the BOTTOM!

The memo also includes an agenda for the board members' meeting with Regan that includes these complaints (b/t/w, "KDSC" refers to the Kaiser Division Steward Council):

• Violation of the Constitution/KDSC By-Laws and Policies
• Flawed Communication
• Staff Absenteeism in Kaiser
• Failure to Adhere to the Constitution and Bylaws
• Failure to Respect Member Ratifications

Wow... The documents are quite a stunning indictment of Dave Regan... especially because they're authored by insiders who've been longtime loyal supporters of Regan/SEIU. For example, the group includes people like John Duff, Tinesha Thomas, Shirley Shirlee, Donna Norton, Darnita Garry, Linda Corkill, Diane Barton, Tonya Salcido, Tamika Harris, Treasell Sanders, Jennie Edney, China Newton, etc. And the fact that so many of the union's board members are in open revolt against Regan underscores the seriousness of the problems gripping the union.

So what sorts of "agreements" are the former loyalists trying to extract from the "Regan regime?" And what maneuvers will Regan try to use to either buy off or marginalize his critics? Put on your body armor!

SEIU's YouTube Star Is Back!

Remember this video of SEIU staffer Liz Castillo as she bullies workers and then smashes a camera to the floor inside the cafeteria of a California hospital? The video went viral on YouTube, where it's now been viewed 72,000 times. Castillo can be heard shouting at an SEIU-UHW member dressed in scrubs and then saying, "Shut the f*ck up, you f*cking asshole" as she prepares to backhand a seated observer.

When Castillo's purple-shirted assault became a YouTube phenomenon, SEIU officials canned Castillo in hopes of managing the fallout from SEIU's other attacks... like the death threats against workers at Kaiser Permanente and SEIU's outrageous attacks against Dolores Huerta, the 80-year-old co-founder of the United Farm Workers along with Cesar Chavez.

So what's Castillo up to these days? Has she landed a career on a Detroit roller derby team? Well... kind of. A reader reports that she's back at SEIU-UHW, where her bullyboy exploits caught the eye of Dave Regan, who reportedly instructs SEIU staffers to intimidate workers who criticize SEIU. Here's the reader's report:

Just in case you didn't know, Liz Castillo is back working with UHW- she was seen in the smoking area!!! (which she visits 20X a day) early this week. She was telling the group of smokers that she is back! as an organizer!!! God Help Us!!! 

More..... this week the craziest woman in UHW Flannery Hauck (crazier than Liz) was seen lecturing! torturing a group of organizer going over a rap for a campaign she is leading "Lets Get Healthy California" . I felt sorry for those organizers in the second floor.... welcome to the "Flannery concentration camp"

Well, California workers, look for Liz in a hospital near you. Tasty hears she'll soon be playing an integral role in Regan's "Let's Get Healthy, California!" campaign by telling workers to "Shut the f*ck up and fill out the f*cking survey." Way to go, SEIU!

SEIU’s Wellness Wonderland

It looks like SEIU is pushing Wellness Programs far and wide – not just at Catholic Healthcare West. Wellness Programs, of course, are the newest corporate scheme for cutting workers' health benefits, as described in this New York Times article.

In Oregon, SEIU Local 503 signed off on a Wellness Program -- which it calls the “Health Engagement Model” -- that forces state workers to pay $20 per month if they refuse to fill out wellness surveys.

So why are workers reluctant to fill out the surveys? Check out the kinds of questions that Kaiser Permanente is asking its employees to answer as part of its so-called “Total Health Assessment.”

Hmmm... would you wanna tell your boss how much alcohol you consume weekly… or whether you take “recreational drugs” or "prescription drugs that aren’t yours" …or how many sexual partners you've had in the past year?

Since workers are not too keen on the surveys, SEIU-UHW has been busy working with Kaiser officials to push the surveys on the membership.

Meanwhile, SEIU-UHW officials are working hand-in-glove with executives at the Daughters of Charity Health System to force Wellness Programs down the throats of several thousand workers. In SEIU’s latest Orwellian effort, SEIU officials have prepared a set of benefit cuts and are trying to sell them to the membership as “innovative,” “bold” and “exciting” proposals that are part of SEIU’s so-called “Let’s Get Health California!” program.

SEIU-UHW's efforts at Daughters of Charity are just like the campaign of despicable deceit and deception that it ran against 13,000 workers at Catholic Healthcare West.  

So what kind of deal has Dave Regan cut with the corporate chiefs at Daughters of Charity? Well, take a look at this not-too-subtle hint. It’s a complaint sent by the California Nurses Association to one of the Daughters of Charity hospitals about the company's efforts to make RNs pay “significantly higher contributions towards the cost of their medical benefits” if the RNs fail to fill out “wellness assessments.”

Stay tuned for more news!

SEIU-UHW's Stealth Cuts at Sutter Health

While most people celebrated the New Year with champagne and fireworks, the 1^st of January brought a very different mood to SEIU-UHW members at Sutter Delta Medical Center in Northern California.  On January 1^st, the hospital implemented a “stealth” takeaway of workers’ health benefits that was negotiated by SEIU’s trustees back in 2009. Here’s what happened:

For decades, Sutter Delta Medical Center has paid all­ of the monthly premiums for its employees’ PPO health insurance plan. On January 1^st, the hospital suddenly began deducting about $80 a month from workers’ paychecks for family health coverage, and less for individual coverage. To put it in perspective, $80 a month is equivalent to a wage cut of 50 cents an hour for a full-time worker.

So where did the health cuts come from? Well, back in 2009, Dave Regan and Co negotiated a provision in the union contract that requires workers to pay 5% of the health insurance premiums beginning on January 1, 2012 -- similar to the recent cuts at this Northern California hospital that are making waves.

And that’s not all. Regan’s deal at Sutter Delta Medical Center also established two-tiered benefits for employees. New employees must pay even more for their health coverage: 15% of their premiums -- or about $240 per month for family coverage. For full-time workers, that translates into a wage cut of $1.50 per hour. 

Here's the language that Regan and Co negotiated:

Why did Regan sign off on the cuts? Is the hospital struggling to make ends meet? Hardly. Last year, the 140-bed hospital pulled down $8 million in profits, according to state records. And the hospital’s parent company, Sutter Health, made nearly a billion dollars in profit. In fact, Sutter Health -- like Kaiser Permanente -- is one of the most profitable hospital chains in the nation.