MESSAGE TO OUR
EMPLOYEES
Session marked by continued dialogue.
This message was sent on behalf of Lionel Sims, interim senior vice president, Human Resources, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals; and Priya Smith, chief employee human resources officer, The Permanente Medical Group; to Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California mental health and addiction medicine professionals on Monday, October 6.
To our mental health and addiction medicine professionals,
On Friday, October 3, Kaiser Permanente and the National Union of Healthcare Workers met for the 14th time since July to continue negotiating a new agreement for our 2,400 Northern California mental health and addiction medicine professionals.
We are focused on reaching an agreement that allows us to remain a great place to work, while also maintaining the flexibility needed to stay true to our mission of providing high-quality, affordable health care services and improving the health of our members and the communities we serve. This includes timely access to our high-quality mental health care services.
Consistent with most of the bargaining sessions to date, the October 3 bargaining session was active, with both Kaiser Permanente and NUHW presenting multiple proposals.
We presented 5 counterproposals to the NUHW bargaining team: Professional Hours (Article 15), Paid Time Off (Article 23), Safety (Article 34), Telecommute (letter of understanding), and Local Professional Practice Committee Guidelines. These proposals align with our need to remain flexible to meet patient needs while also ensuring we have a contract that allows us to attract and retain valuable mental health professionals like you.
NUHW presented counterproposals on Union Representation (Article 26), Professional Practice Committee (Article 31), and 2 package proposals covering a range of issues from management rights and corrective action procedures to posting and filling positions and seniority. We will review the union’s proposals, assess the feasibility of the terms, and respond at the bargaining table.
There is much to consider, with more than 50 proposals and counterproposals presented to date. Coming to an agreement that serves all parties takes time, effort, and resolve. We remain committed to coming to the bargaining table in good faith.
We have 4 more bargaining dates scheduled through October, with discussion about potential dates in November. Our next scheduled sessions are Tuesday, October 7, and Wednesday, October 15.
Thank you for taking care of our members and patients day in and day out. The work you do is purposeful, profound, and valued.
For more information, visit kp.org/nuhwbargaining.