Kaiser Permanente WA – Clinic PAR Redeployment Initiative Agreement

After numerous bargaining sessions, OPEIU Local 8 and KPWA have reached agreement on the decision to redeploy 38 PARs from 25 clinics. This was a very difficult bargain as the employer provided premature information to employees before providing any information to the Union and engaging in bargaining as provided by the Union contract. Additionally, the employer provided inaccurate information related to the initiative

All of this caused frustration for both the Clinic PARs and the Union bargaining team.

Despite these challenges, we have an agreement for this redeployment:

1. One combined seniority list for all impacted clinics. If the initiative impacts more than one facility – which this situation does – the seniority lists of each impacted facility will be combined into one (1) seniority list for the purpose of rebid/redeployment.
2. There will be 35 voluntary severance packages provided.
3. Agreement that clinic PARs are not comparable with FAST (Float Pool) PARs.

Training will most likely begin the last week of April. At each training, the relevant information will be provided (seniority list, future state, vacancy list, and bidding schedule).

The contract requires that the rebid/redeployment selection process take place no sooner than 5 days after the last training session.

There are over 190 employees on the seniority list so the rebid/redeployment selection process will take at least three days to complete.

Options, in order of seniority will be:

1. Voluntary Severance (two weeks of pay for each year of service with a maximum of 12 week of pay – paid in lump sum or paid out on a bi-weekly basis AND KFHPWA-paid COBRA coverage for 12 months at the coverage level as when employed).
2. Comparable position in the future state. Comparable means within .2 of your current FTE, similar shift with change of 2 hours or less, and similar geographic location:
   • Northgate, Lynnwood, Capitol Hill Campus, Rainier, Met Park.
   • Burien, Renton, Federal Way, Capitol Hill Campus, Kent, Renton Administrative Campus.
   • Olympia, Tacoma South (Steele St), Tacoma Medical Center, Tacoma Behavioral Health, Tacoma Hear & See, Federal Way, Puyallup, West Olympia.
   • Lynnwood, Northshore, Redmond, Factoria, Bellevue.
   • Bellevue, Everett, Smokey Point, Northshore, Lynnwood, Redmond, Northgate.
   • Silverdale, Port Orchard.
   • EWA – Riverfront, Lidgerwood, Veradale, South Hill (South Regal), Administrative Conference Center North.
3. Vacancy in same classification (Clinic PAR and FAST PAR not comparable).
4. If no comparable position available, then choose from – Severance package, or enter into EISA (Employment Include Security Agreement) or voluntary layoff.
   
   EISA is essentially a transition period for up to one year where employee is employed at KPWA with comparable shift/schedule, comparable classification, within the geographical locations, same rate of pay and all benefits.

We know that this has been a very stressful and frustrating time for you, but your bargaining team worked very hard to get the best agreement possible under difficult circumstances. We appreciate your patience and understanding as the team has worked to get through this process.

If you have any questions, please reach out to:

Leslie Liddle, Union Representative, at leslie@opeiu8.org or (360) 701-6615
Erin Adamson, Union Representative, at erin@opeiu8.org or (206) 441-8880 x 105
Paul Bender, Labor Liaison, at paul.n.bender@kp.org or (425) 306-5560