About John August Kaiser
John August is the past executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. An organizer with more than three decades of experience, he has a passion for promoting social justice and fair worker representation. John August stands up for the rights of workers across the board in numerous occupations, whether mechanics, educators, or hospital workers. As a part of his work, he maintains good relations with employers like Kaiser Permanente executives, engaging in negotiations and opening dialogue on behalf of workers.
Mr. August earned a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Evolving from his work as a union organizer, he served as deputy director for Services Employees International Union, where he led collective bargaining, developed organizing strategies, and helped established a union in a large national hospital chain. He also previously worked as an associate director at Cornell University, where he provided consultations and education for health care sector unions. He was also behind one of the most successful and nuanced partnerships between workers and management in US history while working for the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. During this partnership, he led three successful bargaining efforts for 100,000 union members and helped to develop unit-based teams for more than 120,000 physicians and health care employees.