"A five-day strike that affected hundreds of Kaiser Permanente clinics and hospitals in California and Hawaii came to an end after the union representing workers said it had "new momentum" to head back to the bargaining table, but no apparent agreement has been reached. "This strike may be over - but the fight for patient safety is not," the United Nurses Assns. of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals, known as UNAC/UHCP said in a statement."
"The union requested a wage increase of 25% over four years, an ask that union officials have said was needed to compensate for the smaller 2% increases workers received in the first year as part of their 2021 contract negotiations. The union has also pushed for the additional hiring of more staff, and proposed an internal registry of on-call union nurses, so that the company doesn't rely on contracted traveling nurses."
"Kaiser officials have argued that employees on average earn 16% more than peers in the industry, and that the wage increases proposed raised their "already above-market wages over the 4-year contract." Company officials said the company offered a 21.5% wage increase over four years before the strike was called, as well as additional improvements to medical plans and retiree benefits."
Thirty thousand Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California and Hawaii staged a five-day strike affecting hundreds of clinics and hospitals. The union demanded a 25% wage increase over four years, mandatory staffing standards, extra hiring, and an internal registry of on-call union nurses to reduce reliance on contracted traveling nurses. Kaiser countered that employees earn about 16% more than industry peers and had offered a 21.5% raise over four years plus improved medical and retiree benefits. Negotiations will resume Wednesday and Thursday. Facilities were staffed during the strike by doctors, managers and nearly 6,000 contracted nurses.
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