Kaiser Permanente, Unions Reach Tentative Contract Deal

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Kaiser Permanente health-care network has reached a tentative contract agreement with the 11 unions representing 85,000 workers, both sides announced Sept. 25. If ratified, the deal would avert an unfair-labor-practices strike scheduled to begin Oct. 14. The proposed four-year contact would give workers in California, Oregon, and southern Washington 3% raises each year, while those in Colorado, Hawaii, Virginia, Maryland, the rest of Washington State, and Washington, D.C. would get 3% the first year and 2% plus a 1% lump sum the next three years. It would also ban subcontracting and put stronger restrictions on outsourcing, and Kaiser would provide $130 million to train workers for licensed health-care jobs where there is expected to be a shortage. SEIU-United Healthcare West, which represents about 38,000 Kaiser workers in California, will vote on ratification Oct. 2-16, spokesperson Sean Wherley told the Orange County Register, and the other unions are expected to follow a similar schedule. “It’s been a difficult and challenging process, but they are pleased with how this contract will address the goals of ensuring safe staffing, building a workforce for the future, restoring a partnership with management, and protecting good, middle-class jobs,” Wherley said. Read more