As many as 43,000 Kaiser Permanent workers – including 31,000 in California - went on a five-day strike that began today, two weeks after contracts with dozens of local unions joined in an Alliance of Health Care Unions.
The dispute centered on staff shortages and wage increases. The unions and Kaiser are close on a four-year total – 21.5% offered by Kaiser compared to 25% sought over four years by the unions. But the unions want nearly half of those increases – 12% – to occur in the first year, while Kaiser says it only can afford to raise average wages 6.5% in each of the first two years.
Kaiser called its proposal “a strong, comprehensive offer.”
“We remain committed to an agreement that balances fair pay with affordable care,” Kaiser said in a statement. The health care giant called the strike “unnecessary and disruptive.”
Kaiser said it is negotiating contracts with nearly 61,000 employees.
“We’ve recognized our employees’ hard work and responded with a strong proposal that provides immediate benefits,” the company said. In a statement, Kaiser Permanente said its workers represented by the alliance currently earn, on average, “16% more than peers elsewhere.”
Union members include registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, dietitians, health educators, case managers, audiologists, speech-language pathologists and child life specialists.
The union said in a statement this week that the continuing negotiations have resulted in agreements with at least 10 local unions.
Kaiser Permanente has 30 locations in the Bay Area, including 11 hospitals.
The company said the union demands “would dramatically increase the current $6.3 billion annual payroll and lead to higher rates for members and customers, with serious market implications.”
“Kaiser has not agreed to a contract that delivers on the core priorities of the frontline health care professionals who make Kaiser work every day,” the unions counters in a statement. “We’re speaking up for better care.”
The unions said Kaiser can afford to pay the wage increases, alleging that the health care company’s reserves grew from $44 billion in 2021 to $66 billion in 2024.
Kaiser said that since May it has reached 52 tentative agreements with 17 of 54 local unions. We’ve enhanced proposals, initiated mediation, and extended bargaining. Even after receiving 10-day strike notices, we continued negotiating, seeking agreement.
Kaiser said that during the strike, its hospitals and “nearly all of our medical offices” will remain open. Kaiser members also have 24/7 access to same-day care through Get Care Now on kp.org and our mobile app.
In some cases, Kaiser said it is shifting appointments to virtual care (phone, video, e-chat) and may need to reschedule certain appointments, elective surgeries, and procedures.
Our facilities will be staffed by physicians, experienced managers, and trained staff, with added licensed contract professionals as needed. Kaiser said that up to 7,600 nurses, clinicians, and other staff will work during the strike, the majority of whom have worked at Kaiser Permanente before. In addition, more than 1,000 of our employees have volunteered to be reassigned to work in strike locations.
The latest updates on healthcare impacts are available at kp.org.
As negotiations continue this week, the union charged that Kaiser is using “intimidation tactics to punish health care providers who chose to form a union.” The unions accused Kaiser of making drastic cuts in pay, pensions, and other retirement benefits, and health care benefits “from caregivers who work on their feet 12 hours a day—simply because they chose to advocate for patient safety and stand up for their coworkers.”
