You should have been here day two

Well, we started at 10 AM this morning with a coalition meeting for the entire elected bargaining team, local and national. In depth discussions took place on four bargaining points: Wages, Workforce Planning and Development, Performance and Improvement Sharing, and True Partnership. Our walkaway agreement was this: focus on the positive and don't get side- tracked.

Then in the afternoon the entire group got together. John August introduced over 200 labor, management, and physician leaders from across the country. This was the first time in national bargaining for Hawaii and Moreno Valley!

Bernard Tyson from Kaiser then spoke about the fact that our mission has not changed and that Kaiser continues to provide the most affordable care and the best service to our members. Later there was an in-depth conversation on Unit Based Teams and their value. There are 82,000 employees on 2600 teams successfully driving performance.

Kaiser then talked about the 8.4 million lost jobs in America and the impact on Kaiser and the unions. The coalition shared our strategy for success: investing in front line workers and understanding the value compass which reminds us why we come to work--to provide patients with quality care, affordable care, great service, and to make Kaiser the best place to work. Patients receive the benefits of this: Improved attendance means that EVERYONE comes to work and has all the tools they need to get the job done using a team concept with the patient ALWAYS as the focus. Departments with functional teams have fantastically positive results. That is a proven fact.

Dave Regan spoke about how we as a coalition along with Kaiser need to make change happen--change that forces the external world to recognize that great patient care and preventative care should be rewarded and recognized by the political decision makers. There are 32 million people out there about to get healthcare and KP should be the first in line because they are the best model in America for healthcare.

Dave's speech invoked passion in the room because people love his no-nonsense, straight talking, "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" type of delivery! By the conclusions, many of the 300 people in the room rose to applaud this unprecedented frankness.

Kathy Sackman lamented the fact there is not enough publicity about the great works of the UBT's. There are amazing successes happening all over Kaiser--positive results that have gotten Kaiser recognition across the country. Because Kaiser is one of the four top hospital in the country, Kathy Sackman feels there should be more awareness regarding these remarkable teams. You know that Kaiser patients and employees are thriving due to preventative care.

Our SEIU-UHW debrief session afterwards was positive. We made it clear that we will stand together, stay focused, and bring a great contract home to you.

Ms. Shirlee