Publications

Kaiser Permanente and Unions Ratify Contract

The United Nurses Associations of California/ Union of Health Care Professionals had reason to celebrate in September when they announced that Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions had reached a new five-year agreement. The contract covers 82,000 employees, 29 local unions, and more than 400 facilities in eight states and the District of Columbia, including UNAC/UHCP/AFSCME members in California.

The agreement provides an annual average 4.5 percent wage and benefits increase, a range of performance-based bonus opportunities, an expanded range of retirement packages tied to organizational performance improvements, and an investment in a joint training fund for workforce development. The agreement also covers topics such as service quality, workforce development, work redesign and attendance.

The agreement calls for a new wage structure that will take over a year to fully implement. So, although RNs will not see an across-the-board wage increase in October 2005 or October 2006, they will receive general increases ranging between 6.5 percent and 23 percent over the next fourteen months.

This second national agreement is the result of Kaiser Permanente's unique Labor Management Partnership created in 1997. It is the largest and most comprehensive partnership of its kind.

Print Version