MESSAGE TO OUR
EMPLOYEES
The decision came after the National Union of Healthcare Workers rejected our proposal addressing concerns about artificial intelligence.
This message was sent on Thursday, June 11, to Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California mental health and addiction medicine professionals from Lionel Sims, senior vice president, Human Resources, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, and Priya Smith, chief employee human resources officer, The Permanente Medical Group.
To our mental health and addiction medicine professionals,
Kaiser Permanente and the National Union of Healthcare Workers bargaining teams returned to the bargaining table on Thursday, June 4, to continue negotiations for a new contract for our Northern California mental health and addiction medicine employees.
You have been working without a contract and a wage increase for more than 8 months. We have a 17.5% wage proposal over the life of the contract on the table. But this can only take effect upon ratification and will not be retroactively applied to the expiration of the last contract. Unfortunately, NUHW did not introduce or counter any proposal. And they fully rejected a new AI committee proposal. At this point, we have agreed that the prudent path forward is through mediation.
We’ve proposed a 17.5% base wage increase over the life of the contract. With step increases (the already negotiated pay progression structure in your contract), a full-time Licensed Mental Health Professional with a master’s degree and 7 years of experience could earn about $36,000 more per year by October 2028. Our wage proposal includes:
The committee, consisting of KP leadership, mental health clinicians, and union representation, would provide input and recommendations on the implementation and use of AI in the delivery of mental health services. The proposal provides a practical means for engaging with you to responsibly manage the implementation and use of artificial intelligence in the delivery of mental health services. The proposed AI committee is comparable to AI and technology committees we have negotiated with our LMP unions. As the science of mental health and members’ expectations evolve, we believe AI can help with certain tasks, make care easier to navigate, and support a better experience for members, clinicians, and employees. Our proposal would ensure your voice is heard when it comes to exploring new AI technology to support clinician practice.
NUHW rejected our proposal outright without engaging on its substance. We continue to believe our proposal addresses the concerns the union has expressed about the use of AI.
Despite a monthlong hiatus prior to the June 4 bargaining session, NUHW came to the table with no new proposals and nothing to counter our comprehensive proposal. We are committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching an agreement. To that end, we agreed to enter mediation with NUHW. We hope mediation will enable us to break the stalemate and forge a path that benefits the patients we care for and the employees who deliver that care.
Please encourage your union leaders to help us bring these negotiations to a close and enable you to start benefiting from increased wages and resolutions to items of importance to you.
Thank you for your proven commitment to our members and patients.
For more information, visit kp.org/nuhwbargaining.