Last week in Los Angeles, SEIU and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente
Unions held their first three
days of bargaining with Kaiser’s executives.
What
happened? Not much, say Tasty’s sources.
Apparently, the labor-management partners spent three full days getting trained on how to conduct “interest-based bargaining” and being chummy with each other at a plush hotel in Los Angeles.
Apparently, the labor-management partners spent three full days getting trained on how to conduct “interest-based bargaining” and being chummy with each other at a plush hotel in Los Angeles.
According to readers, when SEIU-UHW’s bargaining committee
returned to their jobs after the three-day session, they came back with
long faces and grim news that “Kaiser is coming after our pension and
benefits.”
So how's SEIU responding? Are Dave
Regan, John August and Joe Simoes ringing alarm bells? Is SEIU developing some kind of fight-back plan... err, or at least a strategy
that’s slightly more effective than SEIU’s famous Wellness Walk strategy,
which Joe Simoes so eloquently described in this conference call?
Well, it sure doesn’t look like it. Check out this email,
dated March 23rd, which was sent by an SEIU-UHW Shop Steward to her co-workers. See especially the 6th sentence that Tasty bolded. (BTW, Tasty hid the names of the recipients).
Afternoon Everyone,
I spoke to some of you regarding barging updated information. I have a flier that I will be passing around about the updates. Also I need two or more people to help me with promoting a Healthy California. A healthy California means SEIU-UHW members is willing to help fix health care by communicating on how to fight chronic diseases, expand access to care, and be a model of good health. I’m going to be real with you guys, this is going to take a lot of time and effort to make this happen. If we don’t show Kaiser that we are willing to help change the health care system, we might as well say good bye to our great contract. If you are willing to help keep your contract and all the good things that are listed in the contract, and would like more, come join me to the first step of a Healthy California. Are you good at organizing, politics, or knowing how to communicate in the community? If so, you will be a great leader for this campaign. If you don’t have strength in any of these fields, we will help you gain the strength. We have to help fix health care costs crisis for the long haul. It’s a give and take situation. Also, people in the community will have resources of living a healthy life. I have the form if you would like to help me with a Healthy California. Remember I need at least two people. I would love to have more. If transportation is an issue, please let me know. We have resources on getting you to the meetings. One of the meetings is this weekend in Oakland, Sacramento, or Fresno. Don’t let the out of town fear you. Like I said we have ways of getting you to one of the functions. If you have any questions please call me. Please let me know if you are going to partner with me for a Healthy California by Thursday, March 13, 2012. If you are not able to come this weekend and still want to help please let me know by 03/13/12. Thanks everyone. I hope you enjoy the rest of your work day.
Whoa! A friendly note to SEIU-UHW's shop stewards: No offense intended, but the dishonest officials at SEIU and Kaiser are playing you like a violin. Remember: during the past three years, Kaiser has reported $6.1 billion in profits! In fact, Kaiser made these billions of profits at the same time that it was paying for all of the health and pension benefits that Kaiser and SEIU now want to eliminate.
