National Bargaining Round 7 Update

For the first time in three bargaining sessions, Kaiser finally met with our national bargaining team only to present a disgraceful economic proposal. Despite the company’s reported $3 billion in profits in the first half of this year, its approach to addressing the patient care crisis and compensating frontline workers is outrageous and flippant.

Kaiser’s economic proposal fell short of what we deserve as healthcare professionals. It’s disappointing that a company that profited from this pandemic is short-changing their employees who do the hard day-to-day work of caring for patients. Here are the proposed raises:

  • Northern CA/KPWA: 4%, 4%, 3%, 3%
  • NW/CO/MAS/HI: 3%, 3%, 3%, 2%
  • Southern CA: 3%, 3%, 2% (with a possible additional 2% lump sum payment), 2% (with a possible additional 2% lump sum payment)

By insisting on pay tiers, Kaiser is seeking to divide and conquer healthcare workers. Kaiser’s proposals have a negative impact on our immediate economic prospects and generations of future healthcare professionals.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Kaiser: 

  • Proposed to slash our PSP bonus to less than half its current value;
  • Has refused to respond to proposals intended to address the growing staffing shortage; and
  • Continues to commit unfair labor practices and engage in bad-faith bargaining.

By coming to the bargaining table but refusing to engage or respond to critical proposals, Kaiser gave us the impression its physical presence was a mere symbolic gesture rather than a genuine commitment to engage in good-faith bargaining. The employer even tried to shift responsibility for its grossly inadequate wage proposals onto workers by pointing to data Kaiser claims justify paying healthcare workers less.

In light of these challenges, we must reject this proposal and stand united as a Coalition. 

Join us next Thursday, September 14th from 6-7pm for a critical discussion surrounding our vote for a sympathy strike in solidarity with our fellow sisters and brothers at SEIU-UHW.

In Unity-your Kaiser National Bargaining Team

Connie Savoy, Joan Mah, Deb Deveno, Sandra Prado-Nava, Kathleen Doerr, Francisco Preciado