2023 Kaiser Bargaining team group via unioncoalition.org

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has reached what it calls a “landmark contract” with new agreements on wages, job outsourcing and a variety of employee incentives.

The agreement was reached after U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su engaged in the most recent round of negotiations on Thursday evening between the labor groups and Kaiser Permanente. The Coalition credited Su for helping bridge the gap between the two parties on several key issues.

“We’re incredibly grateful to acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su and the Biden administration for supporting workers’ right to collective bargaining. Acting Secretary Su was instrumental in advancing talks and helping to facilitate a successful conclusion to these negotiations,” said Sarah Levesque, Secretary-Treasurer of OPEIU Local 2.

Agreements in the new contract include:

• Wage raises of 21% over the next four years, aimed at retaining current health care employees
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• A new Kaiser health care employee minimum wage of $25/hour in California and $23/hour in other states housing Kaiser Permanente operated facilities
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• Protective terms relating to subcontracting and outsourcing aimed at retaining health care workers employed
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• Various incentives including streamlined hiring processes, increased training and education funding, hiring events and more.

 

“Millions of Americans are safer today because tens of thousands of dedicated healthcare workers fought for and won the critical resources they need and that patients need,” said Caroline Lucas, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. “This historic agreement will set a higher standard for the healthcare industry nationwide.”

Earlier this month, Kaiser health care employees held a three-day strike – the largest health care employee strike in U.S. history – protesting labor practices that were, at the time, still being negotiated.

The Coalition committed to a second, 10-day strike in November had a new deal not been set in place.

The previous contract for employees represented by the Coalition, last negotiated in 2019, expired on Sept. 30. Talks began in April to update the contract between the two parties, which focused heavily on issues that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A request for a statement from Kaiser Permanente was sent this morning. This story will be updated when a statement from the health care provider is available.