Historic ties to labor
1941
Illustration of a strong man flexing his muscles with text reading: Be a health shipbuilder. Sign up today. Stay healthy for 50¢ per week.
At Henry J. Kaiser’s request, Sidney R. Garfield, MD, organizes prepaid health care for the largely unionized workforce at Kaiser-managed shipyards.
1945
July 21, 1945, newspaper clipping with the headline: Pre-Paid Medicine, Kaiser Hospital in Oakland is Opened to the Public.
The Permanente Health Plan (which later became known as Kaiser Permanente) opens to the public, with support from the California Congress of Industrial Organizations and the American Federation of Labor’s Alameda County Central Labor Council.
1946
Newspaper clipping from 1946 showing two nurses with the Nurses Guild signing the first Permanente Foundation hospital nurses contract.
Kaiser Permanente signed the first union contract with Kaiser Permanente nurses, who were represented by the CIO-affiliated Nurse Guild.
1950
Five individuals, together holding a shovel, are standing in front of a large sign that reads: KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL at the 1950 groundbreaking ceremony.
Kaiser Permanente expands in Southern California after the International Longshore and Warehouse Union requests health coverage for its Los Angeles harbor workers.
1965
Henry J. Kaiser receives the Murray-Green Award from the AFL-CIO. Kaiser is the first business leader recognized by the labor federation.
1969
Kaiser Permanente expands east into Colorado, with support from union leaders who rally for high-quality, affordable health care for union workers.
1988
Kaiser Permanente establishes the Bridge Committee at our San Francisco Medical Center to improve service, morale, and operations. Members of the committee include physicians, administrators, and both union and nonunion employee representatives. The team meets monthly to connect and share information.
1997
Kaiser Permanente and its unions establish the Labor Management Partnership. Through the partnership, managers, union-represented employees, and physicians work together to address issues and cocreate solutions based on their unique experiences and perspectives.
2010
A man's hand is on a table holding a pair of glasses. Next to the hand is a brochure titled: National Agreement Kaiser Permanente and The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.
The 2010 national agreement between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions sets consistent, uniform criteria for assessing the performance of unit-based teams.
2012
The 2012 national agreement between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions creates the Total Health Incentive Plan, which builds on Kaiser Permanente’s strategy of supporting wellness at work.
2018
The Alliance of Health Care Unions forms. Kaiser Permanente and the Alliance establish a new Labor Management Partnership agreement.
2020
A group of nurses wearing face masks and posing with strong-arms in front of an outdoor pediatric vaccine clinic tent.
The global COVID-19 pandemic begins. Our response highlights the best of the partnership between Kaiser Permanente and its unions. Union members and front-line managers work together — quickly coming up with innovative, evidence-based care solutions that save lives, like a drive-up pediatric vaccine clinic at our Fontana Medical Center in Southern California. Union leaders join command center and surge planning calls with Kaiser Permanente leaders. Faster decisions are made by directly involving labor in operational meetings.
Most in-person appointments are canceled. Many clinicians with canceled appointments take on other care roles, with the help of planning between union leaders and management. This shows how the partnership helps the organization respond quickly.