Stories

Ironworkers at Niacet Chemical Company, Niagara Falls, New York, 1928; Cliff Keene second from left. 1929 union card, International Association of Bridge, Ornamental, and Structural Ironworkers. Images courtesy Steve Gilford, from the personal collection of Clifford Keene.

Empowering health care workers, managers and physicians to come together in teams and improve performance has been the crown jewel of the Labor Management Partnership. 

South Sacramento UBT members build bikes for kids in their community—and build their own team in the process.

Jeffrey Ha, a pharmacy technician and member of UFCW Local 135, was one of several team members involved in helping his department reduce waste.  

High-tech lowers costs: Ninneth “Nina” O’Hara, an SEIU-UHW member and Emergency Department clerk, heads out to get information from a patient using a laptop on wheels.

When mid-level leaders from both management and unions build skills in key partnership concepts, they are in a better position to support unit-based teams. 

Where the care is: When members of the Ridgeline Behavioral Health team saw data showing patients were using the emergency room for nonemergency problems, they sprang into action and helped save more than $1 million. 

Silbia Espinoza, RN, (far right) strikes a pose with some of the 25 team members who hiked up to the Hollywood sign for healthy fun.

“Our UBT is very focused on teamwork. When we meet, our badges are off. It’s no longer ‘manager,’ ‘therapist,’ ‘assistant’ or ‘aide.’ Not having the traditional hierarchy has made a big difference. For example, our team had injuries related to patient positioning. We did a project called ‘Gimme a Boost.’ In doing a process map, we learned that one major gap was everyone's understanding of counting and moving on ‘three’ before boosting the patient together. Since standardizing our counting process, our staff has had no injuries as a result of boosting patients up in bed.”
—Victor W. Shen, assistant director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (L.A. Medical Center) 

Problems piled up so much that transporters were keeping patients waiting too long. At left, Esther Logan, a transport CNA and member of SEIU Local 49, and Marta Witsoe (right), patient transport manager  participated in the issue resolution process that led to beefed-up staffing. 

Linda Hansen, RN, a public health nurse and UNAC/UHCP member, with patient Madeline Lanell Haxton