To our employees and physicians:
Welcome to For the Record, your source for sound information about Kaiser Permanente Northern California and the opportunities and challenges we face.
As we consider how best to respond to the rapid changes we're seeing in health care, the economy, and our day-to-day environment, we have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with the unions that represent our employees. We know you may hear conflicting information from different sources, so we want to make sure you are equipped with facts and information about what Kaiser Permanente is doing and why.
Thank you for all you contribute, every day, to help KP achieve its mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We encourage you to check this site often and contribute your own questions.
The following email was sent today from Chuck Columbus, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, to all Kaiser Permanente employees: We were notified Monday night by 21 unions, which comprise a significant portion of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, that they have decided to leave the Coalition, effective immediately, and will not take part in National Bargaining.
We are pleased to announce that Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association (CNA) have reached a tentative agreement for a new 5-year contract for nurses in our Northern California region. The agreement reflects our respect for Kaiser Permanente nurses and the excellent care they provide to our patients and members.
Today, Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association (CNA) met for the 43rd day of contract negotiations.The parties continued discussing staffing and economic proposals in their efforts to reach agreement on a new contract.
Today, Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association (CNA) met for the 42nd day of contract negotiations. The parties reviewed progress to date, and established a framework for discussing staffing and economic proposals. Both parties are working hard to reach settlement on a new contract.
National Bargaining between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions will kick off March 27 in Oakland as scheduled. Using the interest-based bargaining process, bargaining will be held during multiple sessions through early June.
On Monday, March 5, 2018, the California Nurses Association (CNA) issued a press release to announce that the union had completed a strike authorization vote with its members. The union’s press release is not a notice that a strike will occur. Please see below for Kaiser Permanente’s response.
Kaiser Permanente provided the following statement to media in response to inquiries about SEIU-UHW picketing at KP facilities: SEIU-UHW’s decision to stage picketing and make misleading and inaccurate statements about Kaiser Permanente is uncalled for and counterproductive. If the union’s leadership is truly interested in working constructively and as a partner, as they claim, they should reconsider this path. It’s important for our members and patients to know that informational picketing is not a strike and it does not impact our care delivery or operations.
The following email was sent today from Chuck Columbus, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, to all Kaiser Permanente employees in California: We wanted to let you know that the leadership of SEIU-UHW has notified Kaiser Permanente that the union has withdrawn its proposed ballot initiative that would have affected Kaiser Permanente if it became law.
Today the union withdrew four operational proposals it made earlier in bargaining, and rejected KP’s proposal about post-retirement Health Reimbursement Accounts for nurses hired after Jan. 1, 2018. In addition, the union presented a counter proposal regarding the transition to Epic, the new patient acuity classification system. Today was the last day of scheduled bargaining. To continue to move bargaining forward, Kaiser Permanente offered to bargain next week, to which CNA has not responded.
Today, Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association (CNA) met for the 40th day of contract negotiations.
Kaiser Permanente presented a proposal under which nurses hired after 1/1/18 will not receive a Health Retirement Account (HRA) as part of their retiree medical benefit. This proposal does not affect current KP Northern California nurses hired prior to 1/1/18. The parties continued to discuss the economic priorities they view as critical for reaching agreement on a new contract.