By a resounding vote of 95% in favor, the 28 union locals that represent the 96,000 Kaiser Permanente employees who comprise the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions have ratified the 2010 National Agreement. This unique, collectively bargained agreement goes into effect Oct. 1, 2010, and remains in effect until Sept. 30, 2012.

Perhaps it will surprise some observers that most of the negotiations were not devoted to the economic settlement.

Most of the time was spent on building deeper accountabilities and deeper commitments toward supporting and sustaining continuous improvement by all frontline employees, frontline physicians and dentists, and frontline supervisors.

Since 2007, we have mobilized more than 90,000 union employees into unit-based teams (UBTs). Along with their managers, these employees—working in more than 3,000 teams—are learning to deliver great outcomes for patients and, in so doing, reducing the cost of care. Our new agreement sets goals for frontline teams to reach top performance over the next two years. Currently about 29% of our teams have reached that level. We plan to more than double the number of high-performing teams over this short contract cycle.

What the agreement means outside of KP

Our nation is deeply polarized. Most everyone agrees that the nation is going in the wrong direction. What is missing is real dialogue among real people who could have an impact on that direction every day.

Our national agreement is unique in the annals of labor-management relationships and collective bargaining. We engage in interest-based problem solving to come to an agreement that serves patients, employees and Kaiser Permanente. Union members expect and deserve job security and economic upward mobility. Union members also understand that unless patients and members are best served, the organization is at risk.

Our nation, too, is at risk.

For far too long, we have avoided problem solving! Problems can only be solved if there are leaders willing to confront challenges and if there are institutions in place at every level in society to foster problem solving. We need to balance and share interests among groups to get the best results for all.

The economic terms of this agreement advance what are already the best terms and conditions of employment in the health care industry:

• 6% across-the-board increases over two years.
• All health and retiree benefits remain intact.
• New, regular funding for the educational trusts to ensure career opportunity and job security in the rapidly changing employment dynamics in health care. 

Kaiser Permanente is among the 25 largest employers in the country. It is the largest not-for-profit health plan and system in the country.  It is an almost 100% unionized workplace.

With 170,000 physicians and employees engaged in common-sense problem solving that gets real results, we are a beacon of hope.