[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SALUTING THE MODEL OF LABOR AND MANAGEMENT COOPERATION BY KAISER 
          PERMANENTE AND SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 1999

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute and pay 
tribute to a model of labor and management cooperation, Kaiser 
Permanente and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 96. 
Over the course of six months, Kaiser and SEIU worked diligently to 
craft a cooperative solution to their employment contract. Throughout 
the process, joint management and union committees met weekly to reach 
agreement on both economic and non-economic issues.
  SEIU #96 and Kaiser Permanente approached their negotiations in a 
win-win manner. This collaborative process utilized an Interest Based 
Bargaining (IBB) technique focused on creative problem solving and 
developing stronger relationships between the two partners. A Mediator 
from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) facilitated 
the process.
  The uniqueness of this labor and management partnership is that it 
represents the first time in the U.S. that IBB has been used on two 
contracts simultaneously. The ratified agreement includes both 
technical/clerical staff and professional staff bargaining units with 
Kaiser Permanente. The three year agreement builds upon the innovation 
of the IBB negotiation process by including a performance based pay 
system with a bonus program for all employees based upon quality 
improvements occurring.
  This monumental accomplishment would not have been possible without 
the foundation established by both SEIU and Kaiser's commitment to 
cooperation as demonstrated by their participation in the Labor-
Management Council of Greater Kansas City. Further on a national level, 
Kaiser and the AFL-CIO agreed in 1997 to remain neutral during any 
union organizing card drives. This cooperation has further evolved 
through the signing of this three year agreement.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the Executive Director of 
SEIU Local 96, Sherwin Carroll, and the President of Kaiser Permanente 
Kansas City Region, Cynthia Finter, for their leadership in crafting 
this cooperative process. Finally, Mr. Speaker, please join me in 
applauding Kaiser Permanente and SEIU #96 for being pioneers and 
national role models in labor-management cooperative partnerships.

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