Labor Partners will function as stakeholders and representatives for the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions with identified Kaiser Permanente Managers. In this role Labor Partners will function as equals with Managers in operational meetings, committees and sponsorship for Unit Based Teams. Manager and Labor Partners will use the UBT Sponsor Guide and National Agreement documents to guide their work. Labor partners will inform and educate managers and members on individual union local along with national and regional coalition goals, principles, values and interest. Labor Partners will model and hold all accountable to local, regional and National Labor Management Partnership goals, principles, values and interest.
Coalition Labor Partner Requirements:
• Member in good standing
• Have ALL LMP Trainings and other trainings as required by local union
• Must take UBT Sponsor Training within 90 Days
• Complete union’s local steward training program and a working knowledge of their union’s local interest
• Strong communication and leadership traits
• Hold managers and Members accountable to the principles of Partnership as described in the Reaffirmation document
• Union and Coalition advocate
• Respected by peers
Interest Based Negotiations
Shared Strategic Vision
Union Business Education Process
Issue Resolution System
Leadership:
• Equal with Management
• Model Partnership Behaviors and Principles
• Hold yourself and others accountable to agreements
• Stakehold and be a decision maker for constituents
• Represent interest of Union and Coalition
• Protect provisions of Contracts and National Agreement
• Support Partnership as the Kaiser Business Strategy
• Coach and Mentor to the success of Kaiser Operational Outcomes
• Coach and Mentor to Partnership as the Business Model
Sponsorship:
• Support alignment of Unit Based Teams work to Regional Goals
• Support removal of barriers
• Charter Unit Based Teams with Management and Permanente Partners
• Identify Union Issues and address appropriately
• Advocate for resources
• Communicate and stakehold for Unit Based Team Co-Leads
• Support a continuous improvement environment
• Attend Unit Based Team meetings as you are able
Engagement:
• Stakehold and Represent Constituents
• Attend Steward Councils and report out on Partner meetings with Management
• Use Steward Councils to gather input on Coalition interests
• Be a liaison to Management for Stewards
• Advocate for interest of Unions and the Coalition
• Report to Union Leadership
• Be visible to those you represent
• Seek knowledge and understanding of Kaiser and Union goals and objectives
Document Resources:
• Unit Based Teams Sponsor Guide
• LMP UBT Leader Roles
• 2003 Labor Partner Job Duties
• UBT Sponsor FAQ’s
• 2003 Training Guide
• Partnership Principles
• Reaffirmation Document
• New National Agreement
• Partnership Behaviors
• Partnership Equation
Why:
• National Agreement language on integration
• Unit Based Teams Sponsorship
Agreements:
• NW Regional Labor Management Team Agreements
◦ Sr. Director/Regional Director Labor Partners (Regional PIA Partners)
◦ Department/Building Labor Partners (Local PIA Partners)
Commitments:
• Partnership Principles
• Partnership Behaviors
• Support goals and objectives of Local and National Unions
• Support goal and objectives of Local and National Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
Qualifications:
• Member in Good Standing
• Respected by peers and constituents
• Union Specific Requirements
National Agreement Language on Integration and UBT Sponsorship
B. PARTNERSHIP GOVERNANCE AND STRUCTURE
The National Labor Management Partnership Agreement describes the vision of a work place environment where diversity of opinion is valued and all stakeholders share a voice in decisions that affect them and their work. The vision of this Partnership is an integrated structure, where the unions and their members are part of the decision making forums. In 2000, it was recognized that prior to reaching this vision, parallel structures needed to be implemented in order to organize, plan and implement the partnership principles. These structures were meant to be steps toward integration that would change as the Partnership evolved. Indeed, the 2005 National Agreement takes substantive steps toward this integration.
1. PARTNERSHIP STRUCTURES
A variety of Partnership structures exist at the national, regional, service area, facility, department and/or work unit levels. In addition, there are various business structures which attempt to solve the same problem or achieve like goals. Partnership should become the way business is conducted at Kaiser Permanente. In order to achieve this goal, these parallel Labor Management Partnership structures should be integrated into existing operational structures of the organization at every level. This would result in dissolution of parallel labor management committees that are redundant with ongoing business committees (e.g., department meetings, project teams, planning committees). Parallel structures may still be required where there is no existing function, where existing structures are not adequate for a particular function, initiative, or area of focus, or where they are necessary because of legal or regulatory requirements. New initiatives should include labor participation from their inception. Integration of labor into the normal business structures of the organization does not mean co-management, but rather full participation in the decision making forums and processes at every level of the organization as described on pages 14-16 of the Labor Management Partnership Vision: Reaffirmation, and subject only to the capacity of the unions to fully engage and contribute. The parties will work together to ensure that union capacity issues are adequately addressed. The integration process for regional structures should begin immediately and should be completed by January 2008.
b. Unit Based Teams
Engaging employees in the design and implementation of their work creates a healthy work environment and builds commitment to superior organizational performance. Successful engagement begins with appropriate structures and processes for Partnership interaction to take place. It requires the sponsorship, commitment and accountability of labor, management, and medical and dental group leadership to communicate to stakeholders that engagement in Partnership is not optional, but the way that Kaiser Permanente does business.
Documents:
• Labor Management Partnership Behaviors
• Partnership Principles
• Regional Team Issue Resolution Process
• Value Compass
• Path to Performance
• Communication Map
• Co-Lead Election Tool Box
• Legal Boundaries of Bargaining
• CKPU Resources
◦ Key Contact List
◦ UBT Partner and Sponsor List
◦ Resource Team Contact List
• Co-Operation vs. Co-Management
• Sponsor Guide Co-Lead Role
• Union Specific Guidelines for:
◦ Steward Election
◦ Partner Selection
◦ Committee Selection
• Union Specific Roles for:
◦ Stewards
◦ Contract Specialist
◦ Labor Liaison
◦ Field Organizers
◦ Elected Officers
• Jump Start Information
LMP Classes:
• Interest Based Problem Solving & Consensus Decision Making
• Unit Based Teams Sponsor Training
• Corrective Action Issue Resolution
• Facilitative Skills Workshop
• Effective Stakeholding
Books:
• Local Contracts
• National Agreement
• Reaffirmation Document
KP Learn On-Line Classes:
• Rapid Improvement Methodologies (RIM+)
• Crucial Conversations
• Change Management
• Business Literacy
KPNW Web Resources:
• NW Labor Management Partnership
◦ UBT Tools
◦ Co-Lead Election Toolbox
◦ Regional Team IR Process
◦ UBT Tools
◦ Path to Performance
• National Labor Management Partnership
◦ UBT Sponsor Guide
◦ UBT Resources and Tools
• MyHR
◦ Performance Sharing Plan Information/Results
◦ Issue Resolution Intake Form
Union Halls:
• Steward Trainings
• Union Web-Sites