MEDIA STATEMENT
April 11, 2025
The focus returns to bargaining
As NUHW ends its hunger strike, Kaiser Permanente remains focused on negotiations and timely access to quality care.
We look forward to returning to the bargaining table with the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) next week, where we can focus on negotiating a contract that benefits both our employees and our members.
We are relieved that the hunger strike by some of the NUHW members has come to an end and those who participated in the hunger strike can now focus on their health and safety.
Kaiser Permanente continues to provide timely access to exceptional care, which our members deserve and expect. We’ve worked hard to ensure our mental health care is in compliance with state requirements. Our extensive network of more than 13,000 providers, along with the 60% of NUHW-represented employees who did not strike or have since returned to work, ensures that patients in crisis receive care 24/7, urgent needs are addressed within 48 hours, and patients with non-urgent needs are seen on average within 6 days — a standard that exceeds state requirements.
Despite the persistent efforts of NUHW to mislead the public, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has not identified new deficiencies in our mental health care. All deficiencies identified in the 2022 non-routine survey report have been addressed and are part of the eight Corrective Action Areas identified in both the Settlement Agreement and the final Corrective Action Work Plan. We met with the DMHC last week in our first quarterly review and demonstrated the extraordinary progress we have made on all the deficiencies outlined in the Corrective Action Work Plan. At this point, Kaiser Permanente is meeting regulatory requirements for access to mental health care.
The facts in our negotiations
Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest unionized workforces in the United States, with more than 40 unions representing over 80% of our employees. We are among the most labor-friendly employers in the industry. We offer our employees industry-leading wages, generous benefits, and opportunities for advanced training and professional development.
NUHW is demanding significantly higher pay to care for fewer patients. At Kaiser Permanente, it is our responsibility to balance providing a generous contract for our employees with keeping high-quality care accessible and affordable for our members.
NUHW has continued to focus on 3 primary issues:
- Wages: Kaiser Permanente’s pay philosophy is to pay as much as 10% above local wages to attract and retain the best people. Our employees represented by NUHW in Southern California are currently paid significantly more than others in the market.
- Psychologists’ pay averages more than $160,000 per year. With benefits, the average total is $190,000.
- Clinical social workers’ pay averages approximately $125,000 per year. With benefits, the average total is $170,000.
- We have offered to increase wages an additional 19% over the next 4 years. NUHW is demanding wage increases that would put therapists’ pay more than 30% above their peers in the Southern California market.
- Non-Patient Care Time: We understand that therapists need designated time to prepare for appointments, for charting, and for professional development. Our offer provides up to 7 hours per week for non-patient care activities such as planning, preparation, coordination, and administrative work, with 5 of those hours protected. This is a generous arrangement not commonly available to those practicing outside of Kaiser Permanente. NUHW wants therapists to spend nearly 50% of each week not seeing patients, leading to thousands fewer appointments every month — at a time when mental health care demand is increasing and access to patient care is critical for our members.
- Pension: NUHW claims they don’t have a pension, but that is not true. Kaiser Permanente provides our mental health therapists in Southern California with a generous defined contribution pension plan, to which we contribute up to 9%, nearly double the national average.
We look forward to returning to bargaining with NUHW on Tuesday, April 15; Wednesday, April 16; and Tuesday, April 22. We hope the union will come prepared to engage in constructive negotiations over a new contract for our employees. Meanwhile, we remain focused on delivering great care and access for our members and patients across Southern California.
