The following message was sent to KP Northern California Local 39 Stationary Engineers

Dear colleague,

The last 20 months of this pandemic have been an incredibly challenging and stressful time for everyone working in health care.

We remain grateful for your contributions

Despite the extraordinary challenges presented by COVID-19, you and our entire workforce have responded in remarkable fashion to help ensure that we would continue to provide our members and patients with the expert care they expect to receive from Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser Permanente is not cutting pay or benefits

As we pass the 30th day of Local 39’s work stoppage, we want to update you on bargaining and on the offer currently on the table. To reinforce the facts, and correct any misinformation you may have received regarding our proposals, please know that:

• We continue to bargain actively and have proposed across-the-board increases and bonuses for each year of a 3-year contract that would keep our engineers among the best compensated in the profession.
• We are not seeking any takeaways.
• We have not proposed any changes to your comprehensive medical benefits, which include no or very low out-of-pocket costs, and subsidized medical coverage after retirement.
• We have not proposed any change to your comprehensive retirement benefits, which include a defined contribution retirement savings plan and a defined benefit pension plan.
• Our proposal to your union includes voluntary opportunities for travel assignments, with appropriate compensation.
• We have not taken any action to stop paying for your benefits during the strike, even though we are legally entitled to do so.

While we strongly believe that differences in bargaining are best worked out at the bargaining table, we respect the rights of unions to lawfully conduct a strike.

We are committed to bargaining in good faith

We will continue to bargain in good faith in the hope of reaching a final, mutually beneficial contract as soon as possible. We have met with Local 39 a total of 9 times for bargaining since July.

We’re pleased to have already reached agreements on 3 specific provisions of a new contract and look forward to completing the remaining portions of the contract.

While we believe continued discussions at the bargaining table are the best way to resolve issues, we want to reinforce our appreciation that most picketing has been peaceful.

We are committed to keeping Kaiser Permanente a best place to work in health care and a place where you will continue to receive excellent wages and benefits. We are calling on you to urge your Local 39 leadership to reach an agreement quickly.

We look forward to having you back as soon as possible to join your health care colleagues in diligently and compassionately providing care every day.

We are committed to treating our exceptional workforce with dignity and respect, and this includes reaching an agreement with your union that will continue to provide you with a comprehensive compensation package while also supporting the Kaiser Permanente mission.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Debora Catsavas
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, KFHP/H

Darin Tankersley, PhD
Chief of Medical Center Administration and Operations, TPMG