LOS ANGELES. On November 13, a preliminary agreement was reached between Kaiser Permanente and union leaders that will prevent a strike by thousands of nurses and other medical workers who planned to picket on November 15 at Kaiser facilities in Southern California and beyond. …
According to union spokesman Jeff Rogers, Kaiser and the Health Trade Union Alliance have entered into a four-year contract covering nearly 50,000 health workers from 22 local unions.
“The Health Care Alliance has fought to keep Kaiser Permanente where patients can count on superior care and service. We have been guided by this in our work for 24 years. This agreement will mean that patients will continue to receive the best treatment and alliance members will have a better job, ”said Hal Ruddick, executive director of the alliance. “This contract protects our patients, provides a safe staff, and guarantees fair wages and benefits for every member of the Alliance.”
According to the union, the preliminary deal includes:
—Guaranteed worldwide wage increases annually until 2025.
– No discounts on family health and dental insurance.
—The content of generous retirement benefits and employer-subsidized health care for retirees.
– Implementation of the Alliance Bonus Plan, which provides for annual payments to achieve new mutually agreed goals related to availability.
—Opportunities for career growth and promotion.
The two sides also agreed to form a national task force on accessibility and competitiveness to “find innovative ways to address accessibility issues while continuing to work together to advocate for high quality patient care.”
The deal is now forwarded to the full general affairs committee and then to union members for ratification. Voting will take place over the next few weeks.
If ratified, the agreement will enter into force on October 1, 2021. The union canceled notices of strikes.
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