Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association have temporarily agreed to a four-year contract that includes pay and benefits increases, promises to hire more staff and provide safety protections for new workers, the system said. health and union announced Friday.
The agreement prevents an impending strike by 21,000 registered nurses and nurse practitioners at 21 Kaiser Permanente locations in Northern California, which would be a larger strike than the strike of 15,000 workers of the Minnesota Nurses Association in August.
The main complaint of the California Nurses Association is the lack of staffing. Bargaining began in June and staff members will vote on ratification in the coming weeks, according to the union, affiliated with National Nurses United.
“The tentative agreement honors our Northern California nurses with a market-based economic package that takes inflation into account, accelerates our investment in staffing, and addresses safety, diversity, and diversity. diversity and equity in the workplace, remote work and other important issues in a sustainable way, and Kaiser Permanente said in a statement.
The collective bargaining agreement is expected to include a 22.5% pay rise over four years—the biggest increase in 20 years at the Oakland, California-based integrative health system, according to the company and union. —and tuition reimbursement.
Kaiser Permanente has agreed to create more than 2,000 new registered nurse and practice nurses jobs, including 1,200 graduate positions, 400 specialty training positions, 300 pool nurses, 80 rehab nurses, and more. acute entry, 50 practicing nurses and 80 outpatient positions.
“We are pleased that Kaiser has finally taken our proposal seriously to address this system-wide chronic shortage crisis. That’s very unsafe for our patients, our nurses, and our community—especially with the pandemic,” said Michelle Gutierrez Vo, adult primary care nurse at Kaiser Permanente Fremont Medical Center, said.
Gutierrez Vo said union nurses have responded to the harsh working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic by requiring the health system to deploy stronger systems to protect nurses against future outbreaks of communicable diseases, prepare contingency plans and training programs, and provide adequate resources.
The contract stipulates that the health system must maintain a three-month supply of personal protective equipment and continuously screen for infectious diseases. Kaiser Permanente also promised to develop workplace violence prevention and response plans for all locations, including hospitals, clinics, and parking facilities.
Gutierrez Vo said the union won’t ask Kaiser Permanente to create a regional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee composed of two nurses from each Kaiser Permanente facility to work together to address the issue. Racism in the health care system.
“The pandemic is proving that nurses can identify what our community needs and are willing to fight for it and make sure we win it for all of our patients,” she said. . “We’re not just at the bedside, we’re out there and we’ll make sure our voices are heard.”
Registered nurses at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center also reached a tentative agreement Friday and will vote on approval Tuesday.
