Check out the New Union Formed by & for Healthcare Workers...
More Kaiser Workers prepare to decertify SEIU and join the NUHW
Communicating Stewards & Their Hypocritical Union
As a Union Steward, I received my copy of the OPEIU Steward Update (Volume 6, Issue 3) today and thought, "How interesting". I confess, I don't often read all the articles, in fact, I often only read the headlines and skim through some of the articles looking for something interesting which grabs my attention and entices me to read further and, although the articles within the Steward Update tend not to peak my interest very often, this latest issue, is an exception; "A new Look at Stewards and Communications" and "Jobs of the Steward: a Quick Quiz". Both of these articles promote Union Stewards informing fellow Members in regards political issues which are relative to working people; And both of these articles encourage Union Stewards to initiate and engage Members in conversations in regards to these political and legislative issues. "Stewards should...pull together scattered, and sometimes quarelling, members by setting up their own effective communications network, using some of the new technology that's so popular," states 'A New Look at Stewards and Communications.
(more...)
SEIU DID, after Walter said OPEIU COULDN'T
In mid 2005, having friends who work as Security Officers within Kaiser Permanente bulidings and knowing they didn't have a Union, I began my effort to help them organize. Instinctively, I contacted our Union, OPEIU, Local 30, and was told, by Walter Allen, that we could not represent them. I then contacted the SPFPA, received and distributed their information and authorization cards but, due to poor communications and little support by their representative, this effort dissolved. I then contacted the UGSOA, received and distributed their information and authorization cards. We had sufficient cards signed for the UGSOA to file for an NLRB election, which they did. However, we then learned of the massive effort the SEIU was making (focused in L.A. and Northern California) and the UGSOA opted to withrawal their election petition so that the Officers may all be organized within one Union. I had an excellent experience, working with the UGSOA. I then contacted the SEIU, received and distributed their information and authorization cards (and I personally returned cards from more than 95% of the Officers working in San Diego). I also had an excellent experience working with the SEIU, during this organizing drive. Result...
Security Officers Who Protect Kaiser Permanente Hospitals Nationwide Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify First-ever Union Contract
Security officers with SEIU United Service Workers West who protect Kaiser Permanente hospitals nationwide voted overwhelmingly today to ratify their first-ever union contract. The three year contract with private security company Securitas, which is contracted by Kaiser to protect its facilities, includes family healthcare and higher wages for the 2,000 officers that are stationed at Kaiser facilities in California and across the nation. Of the 2,000 nationwide, 1,600 guard facilities in California.
(more...)
Channel 10 "Scrooge" Hurts Workers
Dustin, This is Michelle Krug with NABET CWA Local 54 (the 10NewsUnfair.com people:). Thank you so much for your proactive response to our struggle. We are a very small union and "getting the word out" has its challenges, but actions like yours certainly boost our spirit and help maintain our "hope".
Again, thank you so much!!! In solidarity,
Michelle Krug, Political Director, NABET CWA Local 54
619) 434-9343, 619) 917-9343 (c) (more...)
Kaiser Lab Workers Prepare for Re-Alignment
On February 26, 2010 Kaiser Permanente lab workers who are Members of OPEIU, Local 30 will be experiencing yet another re-alignment. Perhaps time flies but it really doesn't seem that long ago that these Members endured this same stressful situation. This time workers are upset and are making their voices and dissatisfaction heard by filing a grievance with our Union. Copies of the grievance may be obtained from fellow coworkers and/or by contacting us The driving factor behind this grievance is due to a change which Management is intending to make in regards to bidding senority; Management has stated it's intent of permitting all of a Worker's senority 'count' during job bidding. Workers are contending that only one's senority within their classification should be used and are citing page 16, article 8, section 4, paragraph 821. If you'd like to add your support of this grievance, you may print, sign and fax a copy to the OPEIU, Local 30 office (619) 640-4830.
It's important to prepare for a dialogue between the OPEIU, Local 30 Members, their Union and Kaiser Permanente Management in order to best understand each position. Discussing your concerns with your coworkers in person or on this site may prove very helpful. Pro OPEIU, Local 30 Member/ Kaiser Permanente Worker's perspective and/or pro Kaiser Permanente Management perspective may be posted in our forums, [here].
* Update - KP Management has reversed it's decision to base Worker's bidding position on his/her bargaining unit seniority and has released a memo stating bidding order will be based on one's seniority within the classification.
MaryEllen Farrell Banks Over $100k
While our union dues increased again and many of us "eeked" out a less than $800 per year raise last year, Mary Ellen joined the over $100,000 Club when she landed a nearly $7,500 raise in her base salary. Including allowances and disbursements, Miss Farrell banked a grand total of $101,148 (all paid from our dues). Yet her raise may seem modest compared to Walter Allen's base salary raise of $12,897. Including allowances and dispersements, Mr Allen banked a grand total of $166,668 (all paid from our dues).
We invite you to congratulate or complain to Miss Farrell and Mr Allen regarding their newly acquired wealth. Or, better yet, do something about it, next election! (more...)
Walter and OPEIU Raise Our Dues (again)
We paid Walter Allen $166,668 last year. This year he and the OPEIU are raising OPEIU, Local 30 Member's dues as of November 1st, 2009. Have you been getting what you've been paying for and should you have to pay more now? (more...)
How much are our union dues (click here) and where do they go? (click here)
Boycott the Handlery Hotel
"Dustin...That would be much appreciated if you could post information about the contract fight at the Handlery on your website and to your members. Many people use the Handlery because it is a union shop, however management has refused to negotiate a fair contract. I have attached a document to this email that contains all of the necessary information about the dispute. The customer support and solidarity is critical in sending a strong message to the hotel that they must treat their employees with the respect they deserve. Thanks again for your help" (more...)
Powell DeGange
UNITE HERE, Local 30
Customer Outreach Coordinator
"Many Kaiser workers in California have already received pink slips. But SEIU-UHW Trustee Dave Regan has promised members that there will be no layoffs. At the same time, he’s asking workers to picket Kaiser to protest the Layoff Agreement - the very agreeement that SEIU has already agreed to. Kaiser management has verified that SEIU and Kaiser have been secretly bargaining over job eliminations - undermining the previous Employment and Income Security agreements won by NUHW leaders".
(more...)
SEIU Opposes Lay-Offs @ Kaiser, OPEIU is M.I.A.
"We don't think it's necessary to eliminate any positions, given Kaiser's strong financial performance this year. The company earned $620 million in the second quarter alone, far above their projections. Given that performance, we are disappointed that Kaiser saw fit to send out notices to individual employees notifying them that their positions were being cut".
(more...)
SEIU demonstrates and says, 'STOP Kaiser Layoffs!' (Why doesn't OPEIU say or do shit?!)
Yet Another Pension Meeting by OPEIU
When: 6pm Tuesday, August 18
Where: Holiday Inn Mission Valley Stadium
3805 Murphy Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92123
Why: Kaiser Permanente will be making changes to OPEIU, Local 30 Member's Pension Plans as of January 1st, 2010. (more...)
How much are Dues?
How much are our union dues? (find out now)
Where do our dues go? $725,933 for Officer and Employee Dispersments, $205,462 for Union Officer and Union Employee Benefits (Dental, Health & Welfare, Retirement), $29,550 for Picnic Costs, just $18,355 for Union Members' Legal Costs and $0 for Union Members' Strike Fund (more...)
What would you do to help save 4,500 Union jobs? How about sign your name
KP/OPEIU, Local 30 try to breath air into the LMP in regards to budget cuts and upcoming layoffs. (As if our Union or our Employer really listen to us)
Update: The United States, Department of Labor - Office of Labor-Management Standards has ruled that, "no violation occurred" in regards to our challenge of the election of officers. DOL Decision Letter: (page 1)(page 2)(page 3)(page 4)
While 'Team New Direction, New Strength' does not agree with the findings, we must accept them. - Congratulations Re-elected Incumbents: Walter Allen, Marianne Giordano, Carmen Corral, Hector Peralta, Larry Petrea, Sue Smith. (more...)
(Walter receieved votes from less than16% of the total membership - not quite the 'overwhelming majority' as indicated by Cathy Young, OPEIU, Local 30 Vice President, within an article from the, "News and Views" -a Walter-controlled, Union publication.)
Kaiser Management has proposed scheduling changes which would negatively impact most, if not all, the EVS Workers in San Diego.
View/Sign the petition (doc)
View/Sign the petition (wps)
The SEIU won the SEIU/NUHW election of HomeCare Workers, last week....or did it?
After many years of battling, Security Workers working at Kaiser Permanente facilities within San Diego now have a Union with SEIU, Local 24/7. OPEIUVoice has long supported these Workers in their effort to unionize; over the past years, OPEIUVoice communicated often with the Security Workers and SEIU. I, Dustin Teske, from OPEIUVoice, personally traveled to each Kaiser Permanete facility, during the day and evening, in order to provide the Security Workers with information as well as their Union authorization cards. Interest levels of the Security Workers was very high and I received authorization cards from over 55 Security Workers (greater than 90% of the workforce).
Congratulations Security Workers!
Union Recognition
Leaders and Members of the United Health Care Workers West (UHW), are at odds with their International Union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU). View the issues regarding their highly-charged plight from the perspectives of:
- The UHW-West/ SEIU
- The National Union of HealthCare Workers
Kaiser Permanente Employees/ OPEIU, Local 30 Members voted on a Pay Raise...err...wait, is it actually a Pay Cut?? Ratification results are in...(more...)
U.S. Department of Labor, Union Transparency Final Rule
Who is Farzad
Kamangar and why is he sentenced to Die and are YOU going to do anything about it?
MaryEllen Farrell, the "Director of Field Services" for OPEIU, Local 30, was [supposedly] intending to schedule a meeting at some point in order to hear and address Members' HealthConnect concerns, however, Ms. Farrell has not returned phone calls in regards to this or other issues for many months. You may try to contact her at the Union office (619) 640-4840.
Some of you may recall news of an affiliation between the OPEIU and the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) and then, shortly thereafter, PATCO's disaffiliation from OPEIU. It's interesting to know that PATCO has recently affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).
Congratulations to the SEIU for being the most successful in organizing new Union Members! OPEIU didn't make the list of the top fifteen (15) organizing Unions of 2007.
San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council endorsements for the November 2008 election
Check out this Pro-Obama VIDEO, courtesy of 'Obama Girl'
LABOR COUNCIL reminder of ongoing and sanctioned actions
Update: IBT, Local 683 Members now have their first, Union contract. Members voted, as I recall, 64 to 6 in favor of accepting the new contract.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 683 were on Strike against Coca Cola in Oceanside, CA. Financial donations may be made by contacting Local 683 directly. Material donations (i.e. drinks, sunscreen, etc.) may be donated by contacting us so that we may drop them off Monday through Friday, at the Coca Cola distribution center in Oceanside.
(Completed Event)
Brothers and Sisters of the Executive Board [SD & LA Labor Council],
This letter is to remind you of three current actions that are ongoing or sanctioned in San Diego County:
1. A boycott of Coca-Cola products and a strike at the Coca-Cola Enterprises plant in Oceanside (as requested by Teamsters Local 683 and approved).
2. A boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego (as requested by UNITE HERE Local 30 and approved).
3. Effective Monday, July 14, a 5-day strike at the University of California, San Diego, with picket lines at the Medical Center in Hillcrest, the Thornton Hospital on East Campus, and the Gilman Parking Structure on Main Campus (as requested by AFSCME Local 3299 and approved).
Letters memorializing the sanctioned actions are available at the Labor Council upon request. Please contact myself or Geshalem Perez at 619/228-8101 ext 1.
In Solidarity,
Evan
Evan McLaughlin, Political Director
San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO
3717 Camino Del Rio S., San Diego, CA 92108
tel: 619/228-8101 x3 | fax: 619/281-1296
emclaughlin@unionyes.org
About 600 Teamster drivers and warehouse workers who work at Coca-Cola Enterprises in San Diego walked off the job July 1st...(more)
OPEIU, Local 30 Members/Kaiser Permanente Employees: According to Kaiser's "2007 Performance Sharing Program Results", 2007's PSP for San Diego Employees was $383.55 (BEFORE taxes were deducted)
"I wasn't...I'm not a Pro-Union Employee. I am not." Watch: A Manager's Journey
I earn $2.08 LESS PER HOUR than my counterparts in Los Angeles, performing similiar work. How much LESS do you make? Compare your paycheck to the those of Kaiser workers in L.A. who are members of SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West (UHW West) by viewing their contract!
New OPEIU Union Member Feature: Perks Card (On the right side of the site, Go To: "New Card Member", "Step 2: Register Your Card", "Card Number", and enter 'opeiu6'. Click "Register").
"Cowardice asks the question - Is it safe?
Expediency asks the question - Is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - Is it popular?
But conscience asks the question - Is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it
because it is right." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
'I vaunt to suck your bloood' (06/18/08 Blood Drive) (Completed Event)
San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council's Endorsements for the June 3, 2008 Election (Completed)
Check out this 'Unofficial' SEIU/UHW West website delineating various areas of disagreement between the two Union bodies
The National Labor College has launched a new cutting-edge union education tool called the Open Learning Course (OLC) program. The OLC is offered free and is a self-directed, web-based learning activity that offers opportunities for union members, leaders, activists and staff to study new topics of interests and improve their current understanding of the labor movement.
United Farm Worker's VICTORY: CK Mondavi wine boycott is over!
WakeUpWalmart.com askes, "Are you Living Better yet?"
A raffle was held during the recent OPEIU, Local 30 Stewards' (2007) Christmas Time Reception. There were approximately six (6) participants whom won telephones. Reportedly, these phones are obsolete and can not be activated! Update: According to OPEIU, Local 30 Executive Board Member, Carmen Corral, obsolete phones have been replaced by OPEIU, Local 30
OPEIU, Local 30 Members/ Kasier Permanente Employees - Get your 1.25% towards Retirement
Danger: For Union Members Who want to be Politically Updated & Informed - Working Families Vote 2008, otherwise, visit HERE where you will get none of that.
An Amercian Prayer (Article Submitted by an Unofficially OPEIU 30 site visitor)
Amendments of Concern (Regarding Walter's Proposed Amendments to our Constitution and Bylaws)
OPEIU Local 30 contracts with Anti-Union, Verizon ($11,844 in 2006), rather than supporting Union-Friendly, Cingular. Tell them to HANG UP on Anti-Union Phone Company, Verizon! Support our union brothers and sisters in the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Request your FREE "My Wireless is Union, Cingular" sticker HERE!
Yet another Reason OPEIU, Local 30 should not use Verizon phone services
SEIU Voice (Interesting Issues of Concern between UHW West and the International SEIU office)
OPEIU, Local 30 'BINGO Night' (Date: Friday, October 26th, Time: 6pm-8pm Cost: $10) - Anyone interested in participating in this fundraiser for Brothers and Sisters affected by the Fires should contact the OPEIU, Local 30 office (Completed Event)
OPEIU, Local 30 to unveil a newly designed website soon! Let's look forward to seeing it @ www.local30.org soon and hope it's updated on a regular basis.
Kuddos to Walter for a Job Well Done (Call/Standby Pay)
As a Union Steward, I received my copy of the OPEIU Steward Update (Volume 6, Issue 3) today and thought, "How interesting". I confess, I don't often read all the articles, in fact, I often only read the headlines and skim through some of the articles looking for something interesting which grabs my attention and entices me to read further and, although the articles within the Steward Update tend not to peak my interest very often, this latest issue, is an exception; "A new Look at Stewards and Communications" and "Jobs of the Steward: a Quick Quiz". Both of these articles promote Union Stewards informing fellow Members in regards political issues which are relative to working people; And both of these articles encourage Union Stewards to initiate and engage Members in conversations in regards to these political and legislative issues. "Stewards should...pull together scattered, and sometimes quarelling, members by setting up their own effective communications network, using some of the new technology that's so popular," states 'A New Look at Stewards and Communications.
(
In mid 2005, having friends who work as Security Officers within Kaiser Permanente bulidings and knowing they didn't have a Union, I began my effort to help them organize. Instinctively, I contacted our Union, OPEIU, Local 30, and was told, by Walter Allen, that we could not represent them. I then contacted the 
Dustin, This is Michelle Krug with NABET CWA Local 54 (the 10NewsUnfair.com people:). Thank you so much for your proactive response to our struggle. We are a very small union and "getting the word out" has its challenges, but actions like yours certainly boost our spirit and help maintain our "hope".
Again, thank you so much!!! In solidarity,
On February 26, 2010 Kaiser Permanente lab workers who are Members of OPEIU, Local 30 will be experiencing yet another re-alignment. Perhaps time flies but it really doesn't seem that long ago that these Members endured this same stressful situation. This time workers are upset and are making their voices and dissatisfaction heard by filing a grievance with our Union. Copies of the grievance may be obtained from fellow coworkers and/or by 
While our union dues increased again and many of us "eeked" out a less than $800 per year raise last year, Mary Ellen joined the over $100,000 Club when she landed a nearly $7,500 raise in her base salary. Including allowances and disbursements, Miss Farrell banked a grand total of $101,148 (all paid from our dues). Yet her raise may seem modest compared to Walter Allen's base salary raise of $12,897. Including allowances and dispersements, Mr Allen banked a grand total of $166,668 (all paid from our dues).
We paid Walter Allen $166,668 last year. This year he and the OPEIU are raising OPEIU, Local 30 Member's dues as of November 1st, 2009. Have you been getting what you've been paying for and should you have to pay more now? (
"Dustin...That would be much appreciated if you could post information about the contract fight at the Handlery on your website and to your members. Many people use the Handlery because it is a union shop, however management has refused to negotiate a fair contract. I have attached a 
"Many Kaiser workers in California have already received pink slips. But SEIU-UHW Trustee Dave Regan has promised members that there will be no layoffs. At the same time, he’s asking workers to picket Kaiser to protest the Layoff Agreement - the very agreeement that SEIU has already agreed to. Kaiser management has verified that SEIU and Kaiser have been secretly bargaining over job eliminations - undermining the previous Employment and Income Security agreements won by NUHW leaders".
(
"We don't think it's necessary to eliminate any positions, given Kaiser's strong financial performance this year. The company earned $620 million in the second quarter alone, far above their projections. Given that performance, we are disappointed that Kaiser saw fit to send out notices to individual employees notifying them that their positions were being cut".
(
When: 6pm Tuesday, August 18
Update: According to OPEIU, Local 30 Executive Board Member, Carmen Corral, obsolete phones have been replaced by OPEIU, Local 30
