Kaiser Permanente and a coalition of unions representing 75,000 health workers have reached a tentative agreement for a new contract, ending an ongoing labor dispute. The dispute, which resulted in a three-day strike across multiple states last week, was centered around low wages and staffing shortages. This strike was the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions expressed excitement about the agreement, stating, “The frontline healthcare workers… are excited to have reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente.” The unions also expressed gratitude for the support of acting US Labor Secretary Julie Su. Kaiser Permanente echoed this sentiment in their own statement.
Since April, the unions have been fighting for improved staffing levels, wages, and outsourcing practices. The union believes that larger investments in staffing can help reduce employee turnover and patient wait times, which have been increasing. The union’s demands included a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as annual increases of 7 percent for the first two years and 6.25 percent for the following two years.
The contracts for several positions, including nurses, radiology and X-ray technicians, clinical laboratory scientists, optometrists, and housekeepers, had expired on September 30.
If a deal had not been reached by October 31, the union coalition had planned another strike next month. Strike lines were set up at Kaiser Permanente hospitals and medical office buildings across various states, including California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
The union cited unfair labor practices and the executives’ failure to negotiate in good faith regarding staffing levels and outsourcing protections as the reasons for the strike.
Kaiser Permanente presented an “enhanced offer” on October 1, which included wage increases and higher minimum wages. The health system also reached an agreement with the union coalition to hire 10,000 new employees by the end of October.
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