Bargaining Update: June 4, 2021
Our KPMWON bargaining team met with Kaiser Permanente twice this week to kick off 2021 local bargaining. While negotiations this week were limited to introductory conversations, we have prepared to bargain over the next two months. One subject we did broach today was probationary period. We expect to discuss this again next week.
The process when we negotiate our local agreements that impact our affiliate-specific work is very different than for National Bargaining which is occurring at the same time this summer.
The following issues are those that our KPMWON bargaining team submitted for consideration during this bargaining process. Please see the Bargaining 101 information below for more on how the bargaining process will work.
- Earned Time Off
- Add agreement language to contract: lead CNM
- Clarify and align language for extended sick leave, holiday pay, and certification reimbursement
- Probationary period
- Economics
- Extra pay differential
đź“… Next local KPMWON bargaining sessions: June 9 and 11, 2021
Bargaining 101
While our national bargaining team continues to negotiate a new national agreement, we also have our own affiliate bargaining team going to the table to negotiate a new local agreement, addressing aspects of our working conditions that directly affect only us.
A few things to remember about this process:
Our bargaining team will negotiate with management as equals. Our team will make all final decisions through a consensus process that will mean each issue and potential resolution is weighed against what is best for the majority of the KPMWON membership, present and future.
No agreement is final until we vote yes to approve it. Once our team wins a strong tentative agreement, they’ll bring it to our full membership for ratification when we vote on a new National Agreement. Before we vote, we’ll have a chance to read the entire TA, discuss it, ask questions, and deliberate. A majority of us must vote yes to approve it or the TA will not take effect.
A contract is a negotiation. Because both sides are equal in bargaining and both sides must agree to the result, neither party will get everything they want. That’s the nature of negotiations. Our power is that nothing enters the contract unless our bargaining team agrees to it and a majority of our membership votes to approve it.
Our power comes from unity. The key to winning a strong contract is always member unity. When we stand strong with our team, management will see that. When we stand together, we win.