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| Pete diCicco |
Just days
after ditching
the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente
Unions because of SEIU-UHW’s Dave
Regan, 21 Kaiser unions indicated their departure isn’t mere bluster or a
negotiating tactic. They’re already taking steps to build a new coalition of partnership
unions for the long haul.
The unions
-- the Teamsters, Steelworkers, AFSCME, American Federation
of Teachers, UFCW, ILWU, Operating Engineers and the KPNAA
-- hired Pete diCicco as the
Executive Director of their new coalition, according to a press
release issued on March 30.
Why is this
important?
diCicco was
one of the founders of the Kaiser labor-management partnership in 1997 and
served as the Executive Director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions for
its first decade. diCicco -- whose bio is described in the press release below –
has deep relationships with Kaiser executives as well as Kaiser’s unions. He knows
how Kaiser and the partnership work.
By hiring diCicco,
the new coalition of unions -- called the Alliance
of Health Care Unions -- showed they have a plan, are quickly executing it,
and are here to stay.
Meanwhile, Regan
can’t seem to stop himself from lapsing into his volatile, “old
school” ways. In addition to trash-talking
his former union allies as sell-outs and “the small unions,” he reportedly demanded
this week that Kaiser executives refuse to deal with the new coalition of
unions, which happens to represent more than 45,000 workers.
Great move,
Dave!
According to
Tasty’s sources, the local dog catcher carries more weight inside Kaiser’s HQ than
Regan, especially given Dave’s most recent ballot
initiative blunder.
In other drama, Regan is reportedly feuding with his coalition’s Executive
Director, Hal
“Purple Lies” Ruddick. This should be interesting now that Dave has named
himself as the “Chairman
of the Board” at the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.
Based on Regan’s
past behavior, the members of Regan’s coalition are in for a rough ride.
Fasten
your seatbelts!
AHCU Press Release: "New Alliance of Kaiser Unions Hires an Executive Director" -- 03-30-2018 by tastysternburger on Scribd
