SEIU Kaiser National Bargaining Update
Kaiser Permanente Makes Divisive, Sorely Inadequate Raise Proposal
Despite making $3 billion in profits in just the first six months of this year, Kaiser Permanente’s millionaire executives are trying to divide frontline workers instead of working with us to solve the crisis in patient care by providing raises that keep up with the cost of living for ALL of our members.
Here is Kaiser’s offensive proposal:
Our region: NW & CO/MAS/HI: Annual raises of 3%, 3%, 3%, 2%
Northern California & KPWA: Annual raises of 4%, 4%, 3%, 3%
Southern Cal: 3%, 3%, 2%, and 2% with a lump sum 2% in years 3 and 4
None of these proposed raises are acceptable. They wouldn’t even come close to helping us keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living.
This is just the beginning of Kaiser’s divide-and-conquer strategy. If we let them get away with attacking some members with lower raises now, we will never know who might be on the chopping block next time. Or they will try to force some of us to pay for our healthcare because they say it costs more in some regions, like Northern CA. All of us will fall farther behind with raises that don’t keep up with rising cost of living. After all we have been through working on the front lines with Kaiser, we deserve to move forward—not fall farther behind.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Kaiser:
Proposed to slash our PSP bonus to less than half its current value;
Refuses to raise differentials that haven’t gone up in decades;
Has failed to respond to dozens of proposals intended to address the growing staffing shortage; and
Continues to commit unfair labor practices.
The bargaining team rejects this proposal.
With inflation and the rising cost of living as they are, this proposal would put us even further behind and make it even more difficult to hire the additional people we need to solve our understaffing crisis.
Angry? Vote YES to strike!
Our bargaining team is calling on every member to go out and VOTE YES to strike to protest Kaiser’s unfair labor practices. The higher the number of YES votes, the stronger our message is to Kaiser that we are united and ready to fight for raises that keep up with the cost of living for ALL of our Kaiser members. The only way we solve the crisis in patient care at Kaiser is to raise pay to retain the experienced workers we have and attract new workers to join us.
**You must be a SEIU member in good standing and show your Kaiser ID to vote.**
***This is an in-person vote. If you work from home or live closer to a different site than where you work, you an vote at any location.***
What's Next?
See when and where to cast your strike vote. Monday, September 11 is the last day to cast your vote.
Continue to purple up on Tuesdays and Thursdays as a show of solidarity!
Download a virtual background and signature image to show your digital solidarity!
Check out our new Kaiser Strike Resource page on our website! It includes the Kaiser Strike Vote Schedule, a Kaiser Strike FAQ, and a list of helpful Worker Resources you may be able to use during the strike.
If you have any questions, talk to a Kaiser Bargaining Team member or contact Contract Specialist by emailing KaiserMRC@seiu49.org or calling/texting 503-782-6228.
