CA Kaiser Strike Averted After Workers Reach Tentative Agreement

LOS ANGELES, CA — Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente will remain on the job this week after unions reached a tentative agreement with the health care giant on Saturday, officials announced.

Monday's work stoppage was set to become one of the largest in Golden State history and would have affected 366 hospitals in the Southland, with potentially 21,000 registered nurses, pharmacists, therapists and more set to walk off the job in Southern California alone. Some 7,400 members of United Steelworkers were planning to join picketers in the Southland as well.

Various other Kaiser employee unions had announced plans to hold sympathy strikes with the nurses over the course of the week.

A strike in Northern California; however, was still planned for pharmacists of Kaiser Permanente. Employees plan to walk off the job starting Nov. 15, which will affect outpatient pharmacies across the northern reaches of the state. Californians who rely on Kaiser's pharmacies were urged to fill their prescriptions ahead of the Nov. 15 walk off.

Kaiser and the Alliance of Health Care Unions agreed on a four-year contract covering nearly 50,000 health care employees in 22 local unions, according to union spokesman Jeff Rogers.

"This contract protects our patients, provides safe staffing, and guarantees fair wages and benefits for every Alliance member," said Hal Ruddick, executive director of the alliance.

Health care workers were set to hit picket lines Monday to fight a proposed two-tier wage system and dire staffing shortages spurred by the pandemic. Last month, nearly one-third of all Golden State hospitals reported critical staffing shortages, CalMatters reported.

Kaiser backed down from the two-tier pay system that would have paid those hired after 2023 less than current employees and offered fewer health protections.

Here's what was included in the tentative agreement Saturday:

• Guaranteed across-the-board wage increases each year through 2025.
• No reductions to family medical and dental coverage.
• Maintaining generous retirement income benefits and employer- subsidized retiree medical.
• Introduction of the Alliance Bonus Plan, which provides annual payouts for achieving new mutually agreed-upon objectives to address affordability.
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement.

Christian Meisner, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Kaiser Permanente, said the "landmark agreement positions Kaiser Permanente for a successful future focused on providing high-quality health care that is affordable and accessible for our more than 12 million members and the communities we serve. It also underscores our unwavering commitment to our employees by maintaining industry-leading wages and benefits.

"These were challenging negotiations, but this tentative agreement demonstrates the strength of our labor management partnership and the unique success it can achieve when we work together."

The crux of the issue was the call for wage increases across Kaiser facilities statewide.

"For health care providers, a strike is always a last resort, but it's clear from the employer's latest proposals that this is the path they've chosen," said Denise Duncan, president of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, ahead of the strike.

The last time UNAC/UHCP struck against the company was in 1980. In 1995, union members authorized a strike but was able to settle a contract before the stoppage occurred, the union said.

READ MORE:

• Massive Kaiser Strike To Affect 366 Hospitals In SoCal
• Kaiser Strike To Affect Pharmacies In NorCal

City News Service contributed to this report.