The First Round of Bargaining

I represent Integrated Behavioral Health Services Chapter on the Common Issues Committee, and I am assigned to the sub group working on LMP Issues.
I have been here in Oakland since Monday, learning the ropes- The "Rules of Engagement" in Interest Based Negotiations. It is easier said than done!
The number of members involved in this process is phenomenal and unprecedented. Yet the scope of bargaining is narrower than 2005, and more accelerated. Instead of 9 BTG's, there are 4 "sub groups", and we are expected to finish by the end of May, with three more three day sessions. From UHW, there are 26 rank and file members on the CIC. The two staffers are Dave Regan, Trustee, and Jose Simoes, Kaiser Division Director.
The first day, KP leaders displayed some data for us to digest: essentially, membership is down, revenue is down, and we need a certain margin to sustain operations. After that came a powerful speech from Dave Regan, who let everyone know that Labor is not prepared to give anything back. He suggested that we should expand the partnership externally, and work together to stake a claim on the new markets. He likened the new markets produced by Health Care Reform as the next "land rush". This is a transformational event that will never again occur in our lifetime.
We all agree with President Obama that KP is, and should be, the model for the future of Health Care Delivery.
In discussing externalization of the Partnership, Dave Regan cautioned KP not to end up like the Auto Industry, who did not listen to UAW, and ignored the outside world. We have the best Health Care Product, and we need to promote the model, and not the brand. An important point he raised, is that we do nothing to publicize or contest the low end performers in the market, who are reimbursed at the same rate as high performers like KP.
In our sub group on LMP, we began to develop specific recommendations on what KP and the CKPU should focus on over the next several years. The two major areas identified were Improving the Partnership Internally by holding all managers accountable, and working together to develop and promote the KP Model as a Labor Driven Organization with the Patient always at the center of the value compass.
Tune in for the progress report on session 2 in two weeks.
Cordially,
Therese