Nurses, Kaiser reach tentative deal

A tentative agreement has been reached between the California Nurses Association and Kaiser Permanente, averting a two-day strike that the union planned to start on Monday, according to the health care provider.

Thursday’s tentative agreement will increase wages for Northern California nurses at 22.5% over the four-year contract while adding 2,000 nurses to aid in workforce shortages, Kaiser announced.

“Our nurses’ dedication to providing expert, compassionate care, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has been nothing short of inspiring,” Kaiser stated in the release.

“This agreement demonstrates our commitment to continuing to provide excellent, market-based compensation and a work environment that supports well-being, safety, and professional opportunities for our nurses,” Kaiser said.

In addition, provisions included workplace violence prevention, increased tuition reimbursement for nurses and the creation of a new regional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, according to the CNA — which represents 22,000 nurses at 22 Kaiser Northern California facilities.

“With this new agreement, we will create a new regional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee to address systemic racism within the health care system,” CNA President Cathy Kennedy said in the union’s news release.

Kennedy is also a registered nurse in the neonatal ICU at Kaiser Permanente’s Roseville Medical Center.

“It is a long time coming. I am thrilled that Kaiser is committed to a workplace that is free from racism and discrimination and that Kaiser also agrees that we must fight racial and ethnic disparities in health care outcomes.”

Northern California nurses will vote to ratify the new four-year contract in the next few weeks, according to the CNA.