Representation

We used to have experienced union staff and shop stewards to represent us at work. What happened? Since SEIU’s Washington, D.C. officials took control of our union and removed more than a thousand of our shop stewards, representation has been weak and ineffective, focused on SEIU’s agenda instead of our needs.

Over the past 18 months, Kaiser employees have filed more than 100 complaints with the government against SEIU-UHW for failing to represent them, including such basic issues as filing grievances and properly addressing layoff notices.

With SEIU in charge, Kaiser managers have gotten away with:

• Reducing our lump sum pension benefit
• Changing our severance package, raising the age when we can retire with lifetime health insurance from 55 to 62 (with 15 years of service)
• Dividing seniority rights between KFH and TPMG/SCPMG
• Forming a Health Benefits Takeaway Committee to cut what Kaiser pays for our healthcare
• “Rebalancing” EVS assignments, shifts, and schedules
• Laying off transcriptionists while work is still being subcontracted out
• Providing no training for displaced workers
• Eliminating more than 1,700 positions without following the full protections of our Employment and Income Security agreement

When we join NUHW, the first thing we'll do is vote to elect shop stewards who we trust to represent us. We'll also get competent, experienced union staff at every Kaiser facility, focused just on improving our wages and benefits and representing us on the job. Click here to see how thousands of healthcare workers across California have already improved their jobs by joining NUHW.