Try these steps to get release time:

  • Plan in advance. Talk with your manager to negotiate time-off for union and partnership work. Plan in advance so your manager can schedule your release time.
  • Teams that are Level 4 and 5 on the Pathway to Performance (P2P) meet consistently. If your UBT meeting is frequently cancelled, your team could be moved to Level 1 at your next face-to-face assessment. Raise this as a concern with your management co-lead and ask to problem-solve together to ensure release time for meetings.
  • Escalate. If you’re still having trouble, escalate the issue to your union steward, UBT labor sponsor, or other advocate. “Don’t stop at mid-level personnel,” says Linda Bridges, secretary-treasurer for OPEIU Local 2 in the Mid-Atlantic States union. “We run it all the way up the flag pole. If Kaiser wants this, they will work with you.”
  • Track your time-off requests. The South Sacramento Medical Center in Northern California has implemented a time-off tracking system for partnership work.Under the process, created by labor and management, union stewards complete a time-off request form with their manager, who can approve, modify or deny the request—with an explanation. The agreement gives stewards, who serve as labor sponsors, time to meet with their teams regularly, every month.The process holds both labor and management accountable, while also allowing both to plan wellin advance for departmental and UBT needs. Signed copies of the agreements are kept by each party and the facility’s UBT consultant.Consider adopting this best practice in partnership with key stakeholders at your facility.

Learn more with the May 2017 Issue of Inside Out

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