SEIU-UHW filed ten ballot initiatives this year. Three were statewide (California), seven local. It’s not abnormal for the SEIU’s Dave Regan (or other unions) to spend money on proposed ballot initiatives as a “tactful” way to get what they want from the employers whom they work with. In this case, Kaiser Permanente. The two initiatives that would have affected Kaiser were “one to prevent health insurers with high reserves from raising premiums, and another that would tax millionaires to help fund safety-net hospitals and clinics.” However, according to an internal memo from Kaiser to its employees, Regan has dropped the initiatives. Did Regan get what he wanted? Doubtful. Did he spend a lot of dues money in the process? Yep.
