Kaiser's "Partnership" Bargaining Begins as Goofy Hugs Delegates

This week, the "partnership unions" are holding their first bargaining session with Kaiser Permanente at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel in Southern California (April 14-16).

Wanna have a glimpse at partnership “bargaining”?

Check out the following photos, tweets and messages from SEIU-UHW’s Dave Regan, Kaiser CEO Bernard Tyson, Kaiser Coalition Exec. Dir. Hal Ruddick, and others. They come from the "bargaining kickoff" held earlier this month (March 30-April 1) as well as the partnership unions' "Union Delegate Conference" at Disneyland (March 27-29).

Staffers from the Labor Management Partnership were so thrilled by the speeches of top union and Kaiser leaders that they tweeted excerpts to the outside world. Here's an interesting excerpt from SEIU-UHW President Dave Regan's speech: "Negotiations are not a debate and tantrums don't work."

Hmm. So if you can't actually "debate" the Boss across the bargaining table about workers' wages, health benefits, staffing levels, pensions, etc... then WTF are contract "negotiations" for? 

Hal Ruddick, the Chief Negotiator for the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, absolutely loved Diamond Dave's quote! In fact, he tweeted it himself. Way to go, Hal!

Here's another revealing quote from Regan: "We have chosen strategic collaboration." Here, Regan is referencing this infamous interview on NBC television, where he reported that our economy no longer has "employers" and "workers" -- only partners who work in a "teamwork economy." 

Btw, Regan really hates it when workers criticize management. (Ohh, and that goes for all of you SEIU-UHW members who are getting layoff notices from Kaiser despite the company's $3.1 billion in profits last year. Stop criticizing, dammit. Partnership really works).

Here's Ruddick, one of Regan's lieutenants, speaking to the crowd about "leading."

Here's the multi-million-dollar CEO of Kaiser, Bernard Tyson, doing a panel discussion with Hal Ruddick and Kathleen Theobald, the Executive Director of Kaiser Permanente Nurse Anesthetists Association (KPNAA), during the Union Delegates Conference.

Interestingly, even though they're management, Tyson and other Kaiser execs attended the Coalition's "Union Delegates Conference," where "delegates" are presumably supposed to prepare their bargaining strategy for negotiations with the Boss.

Instead... the partnership unions turned the delegates conference into a full-blown propaganda party for Kaiser's fatcat execs, who are systematically working to slash and burn workers' health benefits, pensions, and wages.

Here's Meg Niemi, the President of SEIU Local 49, hugging Kaiser's top HR official, Dennis Dabney. Dabney, who favors $5,000 dollar suits, decided to dress down for the workers.

Here's CEO Tyson at the Union Delegates Conference.

Check this out. The partnership unions and Kaiser even served a "partnership" cake to the delegates!

In case you're wondering... CEO Tyson had a "great" time at the Union Delegate Conference, according to his tweet.

Before the conference was over, the partnership unions placed posters of Tyson in the lobby areas of the Union Delegates Conference. Remember -- Tyson is trying to eliminate workers' pension plan even though Kaiser gives him 9 separate pension plans!

All in all, the delegates -- who are supposed to safeguard the interests of 90,000 Kaiser workers -- had a super awesome time.

And in case Regan, Ruddick and Tyson weren't entertaining enough, the LMP staff even brought along Goofy and other Disney characters to work the delegates!

Wow! This partnership sure is "innovative!"

Internal Documents: “Kaiser's upcoming partnership bargaining is rigged…”

Next Monday (March 30), SEIU-UHW’s Dave Regan and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions (aka, the “partnership unions") will begin negotiations with Kaiser Permanente for a new labor contract covering 90,000 Kaiser workers in 27 local unions.

In the run-up to Monday's kick-off of negotiations, the partnership unions will have a three-day junket at Disneyland with with Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and the rest of the gang (March 27-29).

Once negotiations begin, partnership officials will undoubtedly describe them as “revolutionary,” dynamic, and the most innovative thing since sliced bread. However, sources have leaked internal documents that reveal that the negotiations are as tightly rigged as a Swiss clock.

How rigged?

Well, check this out. Even though the negotiations have not yet begun… Kaiser execs and partnership union officials have already calendared the precise date when workers will vote to ratify their new contract!

That’s not all.

According to the internal documents, Kaiser and the partnership unions will complete their negotiations -- which cover 90,000 workers in more than a half-dozen states -- after only four bargaining sessions!

Even more revelations are contained in the leaked document, which is entitled “2015 National Bargaining: LMP Communications Plan.” (See full document below.) Here are a few.

• On June 4, Kaiser, SEIU-UHW and the partnership unions will issue a joint press release announcing they’ve reached a tentative agreement. Kaiser workers will receive an “all-employee” e-mail from management about the agreement.

• From June 4-9, Kaiser and union officials will conduct "joint press briefings on the phone with labor writers” (ie, journalists).

• On June 8, Kaiser and union officials will publicize the new agreement in joint announcements issued through "Inside KP” and “LMP Flash.”

• On June 16-17, the partnership unions will conduct a "ratification conference" at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel. The hotel rooms have already booked and reserved.

• Kaiser, SEIU-UHW, and the partnership unions have assembled a mini-army of staffers who've planned and are now executing a joint "communications plan” with "strategies and tactics" designed to “support implementation of National Agreement.”

• Among the goals of this joint staff team is the following: “Improve positioning of Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente among each group's key constituents" and "enhancing the KP and Coalition brands.” Translation: Regan and the Kaiser execs are using the negotiations to puff and polish their images within their organizations.

• Throughout the negotiations, union officials and Kaiser executives will be reading from the same “talking points” that are carefully crafted by the communications team. For example, at the conclusion of each of the four bargaining sessions, the communications team will issue joint "talking points" for "management and labor."

So… how is it possible for union officials and the Boss to so carefully choreograph the negotiations covering 90,000 workers across the U.S.? It’s obvious, my friends, that all of the important issues have already been signed and sealed in a backroom deal between Kaiser’s top execs and union leaders.

Here's the schedule and location of the partnership's fake bargaining:

CKPU’s Annual Delegate Conference:  March 27 – 29 at Disneyland Hotel

Kickoff on National Bargaining:  March 30 – April 1 at Hilton Orange County Hotel

Bargaining Session 1:     April 14 – 16 at Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel

Bargaining Session 2:     April 28 – 30 at San Jose Marriott Hotel

Bargaining Session 3:     May 12 – 14 at Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel

Bargaining Session 4:     June 2 – 4 at Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel

CKPU’s Ratification of National Agreement:     June 16 – 17 at Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel

And here's one of the leaked documents:

  Kaiser Permanente’s 2015 National Bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions: Labor Manageme... by tastysternburger

  

Kaiser Coalition Hires Headhunter to Find Replacement for John August

In a sign that candidates are not exactly beating down the doors, the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has hired a “headhunter” to find someone to fill John August’s vacant desk as the Coalition's Executive Director. 

Here’s an email sent by Ken Margolies, who describes himself as an "Executive Recruiter" at a firm called Margolies and Potterton:

From: Ken Margolies

Date: June 26, 2013, 8:08:44 AM EDT

To: Ken Margolies

Subject: Please help me find a new Exec Dir for the Coalition of Kaiser Unions, based in Oakland CA,

Do you have any ideas of candidates for this?  They are especially looking for someone with experience uniting coalition partners and coordinated bargaining.

Thanks

Ken

And here’s an earlier post by the headhunter.

Ken Margolies Executive Recruiter at Margolies and Potterton

Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, Executive Director The Coalition is 10 International Unions, 30 locals representing 100,000. Coalition & KP believe caregiver involvement in decision-making creates superior outcomes. Coalition funded through joint labor/management trust. Ideal candidate: experienced principal officer or director with success leading high level negotiations and coalitions, managing staff and budgets, strategic planning, building good relationships with management, patience, presence and confidence. Oakland, CA. regular travel. comp includes base salary generous benefits confidential inquiries: Ken Margolies

So why aren’t trade unionists flocking to this job posting?

Well, it’s common knowledge that SEIU-UHW’s Dave Regan and John August have already inked a deal with Kaiser to slash the health benefits and eliminate the defined-benefit pension plans for all 100,000 of the Coalition’s members during the next round of bargaining in 2015. 

As a result, these massive givebacks will become the crowning accomplishment of the next Executive Director! Not exactly the sort of career-building material you’d want on your resume… unless you plan to work for Kaiser’s H.R. Department.

Furthermore, August’s replacement will have to handle many other messes left behind by August, including multiple legal disputes connected to August's sexual harassment and bullying against multiple members of the Coalition's staff. 

Lastly, a replacement will have to swallow August’s and Regan’s brand of company unionism, which they try to peddle to workers as "21st Century unionism.” If candidates possess even a shred of integrity, they'll pass up the chance to run a “union” that’s simply an appendage of Kaiser's corporate headquarters.

So… who can possibly fill this job? Here are Tasty's ideas.

George Halvorson

(1) George Halvorson. Halvorson will soon be retiring as the CEO of Kaiser Permanente. He won't have much to do except count all the money he'll be collecting from his nine pension plans. Of course, having Kaiser's ex-CEO as the head of Kaiser workers' union might be a bit unseemly to some. But that's basically been the reality ever since Dave Regan parachuted into California.

(2) Jeffrey Skilling. Let's face it. The Coalition needs a candidate who has zero integrity and would have no hesitation cutting backroom deals to screw the Coalition's 100,000 members. Corporate America is filled with assholes like this. The only downside with Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of the Enron Corporation, is he's still serving jail time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Littleton, CO for insider trading, securities fraud and conspiracy. Oh well. 

(3) Goofy.  It was a stroke of luck that the Partnership Unions’ most recent shindig was at Disneyland.

It gave Coalition officials a chance to interview promising candidates like Goofy, who reportedly attended the interview wearing a cape and crown.

He's perfect to replace John August! 

 

SEIU Tries to Impose Trusteeship on Disneyland Workers

SEIU's Mary Kay Henry is attempting to trustee Local 50.

SEIU is up to its same old dirty tricks.

Last week, the Purple Palace tried to impose a trusteeship on Local 50, which represents 5,400 food service workers at Disneyland.

Why?

According to an article dated May 30 in the Orange County Weekly:

The [Local 50] Executive Board says that it has voted to disaffiliate from Workers United and SEIU, and that a majority of members have signed a petition to do the same.

Local 50’s website discusses its fight for democracy and worker-run unionism.

Last week, SEIU parachuted Edgar Romney (a Vice President of SEIU and the Secretary-Treasurer of Workers United, an affiliate of SEIU) into Anaheim, CA where he tried to seize control of Local 50 and its bank account.

When Romney, a locksmith and a crew of SEIU staffers attempted to break into Local 50’s union hall, they were met by Local 50’s Executive Board, who promptly called the cops. The cops sent the purple perps away empty-handed.

Romney then reportedly raced over to Disneyland, where he told Labor Relations officials that he now represents Local 50's workers. Tasty bets dollar to donuts that Romney promised the Disney execs that he'll accept cuts to workers' benefits in exchange for Disney’s support of SEIU, as his buddy Dave Regan has done at SEIU-UHW.

Check out this YouTube video of Romney, Local 50’s President Sandi Ecklund, and the Anaheim PD in front of Local 50’s offices. B/t/w, Ecklund earned $70,477 last year, while Romney pocketed $222,306, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Here's what a Local 50 supporter wrote about the episode:

This is the second time an official of Workers United/SEIU has ever been to Local 50 and he and his goons brought a locksmith to break in. Sandi called the Anaheim PD and they were stopped. The first time an official from Workers Unite/SEIU came to Local 50 was to persuade Local 50 to merge with a failing Local of SEIU, 1877. Local 50 has operated independently since it's formation in 2004.

SEIU’s quest for money and power form the backdrop for this story. As Tasty earlier reported, SEIU is losing membership nationally. And SEIU’s “Workers United” is bleeding its members even faster. Since 2009, Workers United has lost 35% of its members, plunging from 128,319 members in 2009 to 83,796 in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Meanwhile, Workers United owes more than $20 million to SEIU, according to its financial reports.

How is SEIU attempting to explain its attempted takeover of Local 50?

It looks like SEIU officials are using the same worn pages from the Purple Palace's trusteeship how-to manual. Here’s what SEIU posted on a special website it set up for its latest trusteeship attempt.

The former officers of WU Local 50 have denied democratic rights to members, misspent your dues money and violated the Workers United constitution and WU Local 50 bylaws. In response, the Workers United Conference has placed WU Local 50 into trusteeship. In the coming days, the Trustees will be reaching out to each of you to listen to any concerns you may have…

Sound familiar? 

Here’s Local 50’s website, b/t/w.

What’s next? Local 50 has filed a lawsuit against SEIU to stop their power grab. More news to follow.