Case Study
After much labor and management conflict, this integrated managed care consortium and over 25 unions created the Labor Management Partnership (LMP). Today, it is considered a model of union and labor partnerships for the future of labor and management relations. This collaboration involved over 90,000 employees and changed the fabric of union and management relationships. Instead of being a competitive bargaining process, it became a collaborative partnership of mutual respect to a goal of mutual gains. The collaboration resulted in improved services (increased patient satisfaction), improved financial results, and happier employees. Many are encouraging this model to become a standard for future union and management negotiations.
Develop an 8–10-slide PowerPoint presentation that addresses the following:
Describe the unions that were part of this partnership, including the type of union (craft, industrial, general, white collar) and whether it is a federal or local union.
What is the value of having union members participate in decision making?
What was the advantage of using a coalition or team-based approach?
A continuous improvement strategy was used in this case. Describe this strategy and how it relates to the focus of the coalition.
Provide an example of how the model of labor-management relations used in this case could be applied in a different industry.
Your presentation should be 8–10 slides (not including the title and reference slides) with 200–250 words of speaker notes per slide
Slide 2: Partnering Unions and Union Types
Title: The Coalition of Unions: A Diverse Frontline Workforce Body: The LMP involves a coalition of unions, notably the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions (CKPU) and the Alliance of Health Care Unions (AHCU).
| Example Union/Affiliate | Primary Role | Type of Union | Union Scope |
| SEIU-UHW (Service Employees Int'l Union) | Service/Technical Staff (LVNs, Clerical, Techs) | Industrial/General (Organizes diverse crafts in one industry) | National/Federal (Large international union) |
| UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) | Professional/Technical (Pharmacists, some Nurses) | General/White Collar | National/Federal (International Union) |
| AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) | Various Health Care roles | General/Industrial | National/Federal (Often focused on public sector, but with healthcare locals) |
Export to SheetsSpeaker Notes (200-250 words): "The scope of the Labor Management Partnership is massive, involving dozens of local unions affiliated with large national or federal unions like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Because healthcare involves a vast range of job classifications—from highly skilled nurses and pharmacists to clerical, technical, and service staff—the unions involved are primarily Industrial or General unions. These types of unions organize workers across different crafts and skills within a single industry or company, which is distinct from a traditional Craft Union like the IBEW, which only organizes electricians. The sheer diversity of roles—white collar, blue collar, and highly professional—necessitated a coalition structure. The vast majority of the main affiliates, such as SEIU, are national/federal unions, providing significant resources, bargaining power, and shared standards across the consortium's multiple regions. This powerful, unified coalition allowed them to negotiate an institutional framework for partnership that was robust and durable, moving beyond local, isolated agreements."
Slide 3: The Value of Union Members in Decision Making
Title: Worker Participation: Unlocking Frontline Intelligence Body: Union members' participation in decision-making is critical for:
Improving Quality and Service: Frontline staff possess tacit knowledge of workflows, equipment, and patient interaction that management often misses.
Sample Answer
Labor-Management Partnership: A Model for Mutual Gains
This presentation analyzes the Labor Management Partnership (LMP) between a managed care consortium (widely recognized as Kaiser Permanente) and its unions, exploring the mechanisms and benefits that make it a successful model for future labor relations.
Slide 1: Title Slide
Title: The Labor Management Partnership (LMP): A New Standard for Mutual Gains Subtitle: Transforming Conflict into Collaboration in Integrated Managed Care Your Name/Date: [Your Name]
Speaker Notes (200-250 words): "Good morning. This presentation focuses on one of the most successful and enduring models of modern labor relations: the Labor Management Partnership. Born out of significant prior conflict between a major integrated managed care consortium—widely known to be Kaiser Permanente—and over 25 unions, this collaboration transformed the negotiation process from competitive bargaining into a true partnership. This partnership represents over 90,000 employees, spanning physicians, nurses, and support staff. The core philosophy shifted from a zero-sum game, where one side's gain was the other's loss, to a strategy of mutual respect focused on mutual gains. The results have been demonstrably positive: we've seen quantifiable improvements in patient satisfaction scores, better financial health for the organization, and a significant increase in