Wondering why over 50,000 Kaiser workers have joined SEIU?
The
Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, AFL-CIO, is made up of six
international unions and 29 local unions representing more than 82,000
employees. Over 50,000 of them belong to SEIU, the largest health care union in the country. Union members at Kaiser work directly with management to make decisions about important issues that affect our jobs: wages, health and pension benefits, working conditions, scheduling, staffing, patient care, departmental restructuring, and many others.
If your department or work area is not currently part of SEIU, you're being left out of crucial decisions that affect your job, your patients, and your future. For more information about how to join SEIU Local 49, contact
Michelle Blau at 503.236.4949, x235.
Here's what some Kaiser employees have to say about why they recently decided to join SEIU Local 49:
“When my co-workers approached me to join SEIU Local 49, I wasn’t sure if it was the right union for us as professionals. I did some research into other unions, but I really became convinced SEIU Local 49 was the right union for us after sitting on the Bargaining Team and seeing how savvy they were in negotiations. We got 12.5% in raises the first year we joined the union, and have been making improvements ever since.” —Stan Postlethwait, Extended Care Project Assistant 
“When I was hired, I didn’t think the union mattered to me. I thought unions were only important for past generations. But I learned that the opportunity to affect decisions in my clinic means a lot to me. Because of our union, I have an open-door relationship with my Patient Care Manager. I encourage everyone to get involved in SEIU Local 49.” —Kris Gardner, MA, Cascade Park
“At first I didn’t want to be part of the union. I was open-minded but got turned off during the process and voted against it the first time. Later, I saw real changes and professionalism from SEIU Local 49 and it caused me to listen and change my mind. I’ve seen real leadership from SEIU and I am proud to be part of it.”—Essie Hendrix, Medical Transcriptionist, Regional Process Center
“My home life is busy, but I take time to be active in our union because I believe everyone deserves the right to fair treatment and a secure future. As a union member, I always have a seat at the table on issues that matter to me.” —Undraia Johnson, Schedule Coordinator, Health Education Administration“The biggest thing I’ve enjoyed as a union member is being recognized for hard work. SEIU Local 49 works to create opportunities for good workers by supporting continuing education, safe work environment standards, and guidelines for management that do not protect problem employees. In our department, we created a promotional ladder based on objective criteria. Thanks to our union, we’ve been able to rewrite our job descriptions and restructure our daily work.“
—Rosemarie French, OB-GYN Surgery Scheduler, Clark County