Our CAT Team and the USW Bat Light at all three plants. Message? #SolidarityWorks

In the past, local unions at Kaiser Permanente (KP) bargained everything individually. That meant the company could negotiate individually against each union, pushing cuts to its work force and other changes that workers could not accept.

In 1997, we overcame this divisive approach by banding together with many of the unions at KP to form the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions and bargain collectively for one National Agreement. In 2018 the majority of Unions left the Coalition and formed the Alliance of Health Care Unions, ensuring our voices are heard louder and stronger than ever.

This new alliance gives all unions an equal voice.

Today, the Alliance of Health Care Unions represents over 50,000 members in 21 locals in unions across hundreds of job classifications in nearly all of KP. Together our mission is to empower our members, using our collective voice to improve our lives by securing leading wages, good working conditions, and quality health care.

STRONGER TOGETHER

By bargaining together as the Alliance, we have more power to negotiate a strong contract.

As a USW Local 7600 member at KP, you have both a National and a Local Agreement.

At National Bargaining, representatives from KP, USW Local 7600, and all Alliance Unions come together to put forth and discuss proposals that address issues of all Alliance Union Members.

This system allows each union in the Alliance to address specific issues while maintaining economic security for everyone across the board under the National Agreement.

HOW IS OUR NATIONAL AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED?

National bargaining with all 21 unions in the Alliance of Health Care Unions at Kaiser Permanente.

WHAT DOES IT COVER?

• Annual Wage Increases
• Health Care
• Retirement
• Ben Hudnall educational funds
• PSP

HOW IS OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED?

Local bargaining is led by local union leadership.

WHAT DOES IT COVER?

• Job Classification Pay
• Shift Differential
• Seniority
• Minimum hours of work

As a union employee, you have the right to union representation during questioning by your employer IF IT CAN LEAD TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

In 1972, an employee who was a member of the Retail Clerks Union was accused by her employer of not paying for some merchandise. When the employer tried to question her about the merchandise, she asked for a union representative to assist her. The employer refused and kept questioning. During questioning, it was made clear the employee was NOT GUILTY of the conduct which the employer was accusing her of. The employee did make statements about other conduct, though, which she thought was an accepted practice by most employees, and upon her admissions, the employer fired her. Note: she was not guilty of the original suspected misconduct.

The Union filed an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board, and the matter was ruled upon by the U.S. Supreme Court which determined that an employee has a right under federal labor laws to refuse to submit, without union representation, to an interview which he/she reasonably fears may result in discipline.

As with any rule, there are certain things that it covers, and there are certain things that it does not cover.

Your Rights: 

• Your right to union representation is not automatic; YOU MUST ASK FOR IT. Your employer is not under a duty to advise you of your rights.
• You have to request the union representation from the person who is doing the questioning, not from your immediate supervisor or your union representative. The questioner must be told that you do not want to proceed without union representation.
• You do not have the right to a union representative if the interview is only for the purpose of informing you of discipline already decided upon by the employer. However, in that case, you only need to listen, you do not have to answer any further questions by the employer. Further, you can ask for union representation under those circumstances, but the employer is not required to give you union representation.
• The rule does not apply to the normal everyday conversations between a supervisor and an employee, which pertains to performance of job duties and normal work performance.

The Employer's Rights:

Once you request union representation, your employer has three options.

1. They can grant your request and bring in a union representative.
2. They can discontinue the interview and proceed with the employer’s own investigation without your...