Days 7-8 of 2010 National Bargaining

May 4, 2010-May 5, 2010

The following recommendations listed below, will be presented to Management in the Common Issues Committee this morning (May 6, 2010). Although very positive, until we convene with all of management, and agreement is reached by consensus, this list of recommendations and agreements are tentative and pending.

Thus far, our labor/management Common Issues Committee Subgroups, through the use of interest based bargaining, came to consensus on these recommendations.

These recommendations were then discussed and agreed to, by consensus, in a labor caucus, which included all of the labor representatives in the Coalition unions who participated on the subgroups.

Personally, as a participant in the LMP subgroup, I thoroughly enjoyed the exhilarated exhaustion I experienced as a result of bargaining with my brothers and sisters.

The management team in our subgroup was respectful, engaged and articulate. They demonstrated a genuine appreciation for the process and an investment in the outcome.

Not only did we use the principals of interest based bargaining, in many instances, we jointly bargained from the context of the value compass, agreeing that both labor and managements gains needed to benefit our patients. Humm…a new phrase for inclusion of the value compass in bargaining: “integrated interest based bargaining.”

Attendance Subgroup

Yolanda Esparza, MSW, Local Bargaining Member Observer, reports:

WE ARE NOT LOSING OUR SICK DAYS
WE ARE NOT BEING FORCED TO GO ON PTO

We continue to be left alone with regard to our current sick leave and vacation benefits.

Consensus was reached on increasing the amount of sick time that our brother and sister in the purple book can sell back from 50% to 75%

Workforce Planning and Development Subgroup

Alexandra Ivonosky, LCSW, Local MSW Bargaining Member Observer reports:

Consensus was reached to recommend addressing the gaps and needs in the following areas:

Communication Jointly develop an overall Workforce Planning and Development communication s Strategy for the entire organization led by National Workforce Planning and Development, with Regional participation.

Redeployment The sentence, “…Once the local union has been notified of the need for redeployment or position elimination, WFPD will be engaged,” will be added to the National Agreement.

HARD-TO-FILL JOBS “Within six months of the execution of the National Agreement, WFPD will establish an on-going, joint, cross-regional taskforce through the term of this agreement to include representatives from Recruitment and other key operational and labor leaders. This taskforce will identify barriers to filling hard-to-fill positions, designated by the regional Workforce Planning and Development teams. The taskforce will develop a business case for funding and recommendations such as, but not limited to
Preceptorships, intern programs, experience requirements…

MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK POSITIONS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE, HARD-TO-FILL, CATEGORY.

This is a huge success for us! It opens up potential funding and assistance with recruitment, retention and professional advancement within the Kaiser system.

Education Trusts Consensus was reached on services provided by both Trusts.
Base Services and Variable Services. Base included, but was not limited to, Cohort Training, Professional development, Hard-to-fill/critical Needs. Variable included, but was not limited to, the increased need for educational implications of unforeseen events, such as the need for staffing of new facilities, the impact of health care reform in the US. The base service funding agreement was that annual funding should be based on a percentage of payroll. Consensus was not reached on funding of the Variable Services and will go to the larger CIC group.

Performance Improvement

Consensus was reached that all newly hired Partner employees should be scheduled to receive Labor Management Partnership training within four months of being hired. As sponsors, the appropriate LMP leadership will be accountable to ensure the takes place.

Language is needed to clarify the current “3% payout at target…” on page 85 of the National Agreement, to better educate us all. The current language is unclear. There is to be no change to any of the allocation, process, practices, or mechanisms.

Labor Management Partnership Subgroup

Joint Accountability for Partnership Success The leaders of KP, the Permanente Medical Groups, the Coalition Union and the members of the CIC should sign the National Agreement.

A joint committee should be formed to develop and implement a means to build direct accountability for improving the partnership, including a method for front line leaders to provide reciprocal feedback.

Consistent and Transparent Communication Support the work of the Executive Committee of the Strategy Group to: Raise the consciousness of the “middles” (physicians, middle management, HR, ELRC’s, labor representatives). Develop educational curricula for business literacy, union literacy and contract literacy.

Timely Resolution of Disputes Encourage resolving issues at the lowest possible level. Disclose information needed to resolve problems. Empower and prepare front line representative and mangers to solve problems.
Recommend the development of a scorecard to monitor performance on timely and effective processing of grievances (HR). Creation of a joint oversight committee to monitor grievances for timeliness and removal of barriers. Expedited arbitration for all open cases.

Partnership Funding Expand the trust resources to at least maintain current operations and continue to build support for the UBT’s and for the advancement of the Partnership.
Funding to be determined by the CIC.

I have not included all the recommendations reached by consensus in our subgroups, or all of the recommendations discussed, and agreed on, in our labor caucus. That said, the information given is detailed and should provide a context highlighting how we as Medical Social Workers could be affected, thus far, by the work in National Bargaining.


In Unity,
Rachelle