Labor-Management Partnership At Kaiser Improves Health & Jobs

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Metro Council Executive Board members toured Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill Medical Center prior to the June 17 Council meetings, which were held next door at Kaiser’s Center for Total Health. Metro Council President Jos Williams introduced the Council’s hosts at Kaiser -- including Keith Montgomery, Dr. Ted Eytan, Leonard Phillips, David Russell and Alex Thompson -- commending Kaiser for its “great relationship with labor” and noting that Kaiser “participates actively in the Community Services Agency’s Bowling Tournament, Golf Tournament and more.” Montgomery welcomed the Board – and later, the delegates -- to the Center, gave a brief overview of the services they offer and showed a short video about the historic relationship between Kaiser and their unions. The Capitol Hill medical center is one of five such Kaiser health facilities in the area; the short video about KP’s labor background explored how the company’s labor-management partnership helps provide “better healthcare and a better, more empowered work environment.” Montgomery also said that Kaiser is “a union company,” with the majority of their workers unionized through UFCW 400, UFCW 27, OPEIU 2, and IUOE 99. - photo: Dr Douglas VanZoeren with Jos Williams and Dena Briscoe (APWU/NCSML); report/photo by Chris Garlock