UPDATE: Kaiser negotiations
On Thursday, April 16, nearly 100 Local 5 members turned out for negotiations with Kaiser at the Airport Honolulu Hotel.
What did the Union present?
- We asked for a response to our workload proposal that we presented in February. That proposal stated that whenever there is a sick call, vacation, etc. the Employer will make every effort to replace that worker. If no replacement can be found then the workload, as well as the wages that the absent worker would have received, shall be distributed equitably amongst the remaining workers. Many times an absent worker is not replaced and we end up with increased workloads. In the end, we get stressed out and the patients do not receive the care they expect and deserve. This proposal was meant to provide an incentive to Kaiser to replace absent workers.
- We gave a counter on the pension proposal. We proposed a multi-employer Variable Defined Benefit Plan for new hires after January 2017 and asked that the current workers be grandfathered into the current Kaiser Pension Plan. This is would provide new workers with at least a minimum guaranteed pension and provide current workers the security that Kaiser would not come back to change their pension plans in the future.
What did the Company present?
- Kaiser outright rejected our workload proposal.
- Kaiser rejected our pension proposal. Ask yourself why Kaiser continues to make billions of dollars in net income, yet rejects proposals that show respect to workers and rejects proposals that would give quality care to patients. Kaiser cannot be trusted!
What’s our next step?
Keep the pressure on! If you haven’t already, visit kaiserdeprives.org. Share your stories about the negative changes to patient care at Kaiser. If you know someone who isn’t a Kaiser patient, tell them to pledge no to Kaiser: until Kaiser can take care of its current patients and staff, then it shouldn’t continue to grow, get new patients, and make $8.5 million every day.
