KP-CNA Bargaining Update #23

Today, Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association (CNA) met for the 23rd day of contract negotiations.

What Happened

Kaiser Permanente and CNA exchanged operational proposals and continued to work toward agreement.

Kaiser Permanente proposed new wage scales for nurses hired on or after Jan. 1, 2019 in the Sacramento, Central Valley, and Fresno areas, to more closely reflect local costs of living. The new wage scales will not apply to current KP Northern California nurses.  

[In Northern California, the cost of living varies significantly from one market to another.  See an infographic that shows how much.]

For the Record

Kaiser Permanente values and respects our nurses. We continue to be committed to providing wages that are at or above those paid by other health care providers in Northern California. Our proposal achieves that goal.

Our proposal creates new wage scales for nurses hired on or after Jan. 1, 2019 in the Sacramento, Central Valley, and Fresno areas. Currently, Kaiser Permanente nurses represented by CNA are paid the same no matter where they work in Northern California. This contributes to our labor costs being out of line in some local markets and impacts our ability to be more affordable.

Other employers – including other health care providers with CNA contracts – reflect the local cost of living in wages for the Sacramento, Central Valley, and Fresno areas.

[See a comparison of KP RN wages with other nurse wages in the Sacramento, Central Valley and Fresno markets.]

The proposed changes will help KP manage its resources and deliver on our mission and long-term promises to our employees, members, and communities.

Current KP Northern California nurses will not be impacted by the new wage scales.

What happens next

Bargaining is scheduled to continue Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017.