December 5, 2025
Where we stand
New bargaining dates are set for December 11 to 15, as Alliance-represented employees have gone over 60 days without a national agreement.
This message was sent to Alliance-represented employees on Friday, December 5.
The next national bargaining session with the Alliance of Health Care Unions is scheduled for December 11 to 15. At more than 60 days past contract expiration, this is the longest employees represented by a Labor Management Partnership union have gone without a new national agreement since the partnership began.
As we approach the end of the year, we hope you agree it’s time to ratify a contract, so you can start to benefit from our proposed 21.5% across-the-board wage increase over 4 years.
What our proposal means for you
The proposed 21.5% wage increase, effective upon ratification of the contract, is the highest we’ve ever offered at national bargaining and is significantly higher than other recent settlements. Recently, nurses in the University of California system ratified an 18.5% 4-year across-the-board wage increase — and that’s only one example. We are proud of our strong offer and believe it rewards you for your hard work and helps support our mission to provide high-quality care that is affordable. These strong wage increases are just one component of our proposal; we’ve also offered many enhancements to your other benefits, including health insurance, retirement benefits, and investments in training and education, such as tuition reimbursement, to help you advance your career. You can see the details of our current offer here.
Unfortunately, after months of negotiation, the Alliance continues to demand 25% across-the-board increases over 4 years. This demand would add nearly a billion dollars to our historically high offer over the course of the contract. We’ve been clear with the Alliance that anything greater than 21.5% would compromise our commitment to affordability by requiring us to further raise the rates our members pay at a time when health care costs continue to rise.
Maintaining long-term stability
The Alliance has proposed that Kaiser Permanente use its reserves — or even sell assets — to fund the additional wage increase. That would be irresponsible.
Our reserves exist to keep Kaiser Permanente financially stable during economic uncertainty, fund employee retirement plans that Alliance-represented employees benefit from, invest in new medical facilities that create high-paying union jobs, and absorb unforeseen expenses to protect job security.
Every responsible organization maintains reserves for these purposes, and as a nonprofit health care organization, we are required to do so. Using reserves for payroll or other recurring operating costs would undermine our long-term stability and be fiscally irresponsible.
Impact on wages and next steps
Every month that this contract remains unsettled, the average full-time Alliance employee loses nearly $720 in additional wages. Every month. It’s now been 2 months without a contract ― that’s nearly $1,440 of unrealized income that could be making a difference for you and your family.
For a personalized illustration of what our offer could mean for your paycheck, use our online wage offer estimator tool. (Note: This link will only work for Alliance-represented employees.)
Setting the record straight
After months of insisting on a 25% wage increase, the Alliance has shifted its message to claim it’s always been about unsafe staffing. We want you to know these claims are simply not true. Patient and employee safety is our top priority, and Kaiser Permanente consistently meets or exceeds all minimum staffing guidelines and regulations in each of our markets to ensure safe, high-quality care. Additionally, there are existing provisions in the national agreement that provide the mechanism for Kaiser Permanente and the Alliance to address staffing concerns.
By any measure, a 21.5% raise over 4 years ― with most of it coming in the first 24 months ― is a strong proposal. Many of you have reached out to tell us that you’re happy with what Kaiser Permanente has put on the table. We appreciate hearing it, but it’s more important that you tell your union leadership, as they have the power to bring this proposal to you and your colleagues for a vote.
The Alliance claims that bargaining is not about wages. If that is true, then urge the Alliance to accept our proposal when we return to the bargaining table December 11 to 15. Let’s move forward and finalize this deal.
