Nearly seven months after going on a labor strike, the union representing Kaiser Permanente mental health workers will hold a ratification vote Thursday on a proposed new contract.
The tentative deal announced Sunday covers nearly 2,400 Kaiser mental health therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and psychologists represented by National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
If the agreement is given formal consent by union members, NUHW will end its open-ended strike, both sides said. If ratified, the agreement will take immediate effect.
Details of the agreement will be available upon ratification.
According to the union, the key issues late last year were Kaiser’s “unwillingness” to provide its mental health professionals in Southern California the “same amount of time for critical patient care duties that can’t be done during (appointments) as their counterparts in Northern California — as well as the same wage levels and retirement benefits as comparable workers throughout the Kaiser system.”
In a statement in December, the company called the strike “unnecessary” and maintained patients were receiving timely access to mental health care and services through an “extensive, high-quality” network of 13,000 therapists across Southern California.
Kaiser noted before Christmas that more than 45% of its therapists had returned to work and were caring for patients and members.
“NUHW continues to demand that we settle a contract agreement so therapists would spend almost 50% of their time in non-patient care,” Kaiser said in its statement. “This is not logical and would result in 15,000 clinical appointments per month not being staffed.”
The company argued that the union’s demand would result in its members receiving more than 40% above their peers in the market — describing it as “not logical.”
Employees already earn at market or up to 10% above the market rate, according to Kaiser. Therapists are paid at 18% above the market, and the company is offering more.
The company also refuted a claim made by the union that therapists do not receive a pension. Kaiser Permanente said they offer a pension plan in which they match up to 9%, almost double the national average.
A majority of state senators and assembly members signed letters late last year urging Kaiser CEO Greg Adams to settle negotiations. California Treasurer Fiona Ma and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond sent similar letters.
Kaiser said it appreciates that “they have asked both sides to reconvene and seek a solution.”
“We have been deeply disappointed by the union’s lack of engagement in bargaining to this point,” Kaiser said in its statement at the time. “We are pleased that they have agreed to return to the bargaining table on Jan. 9.”
“We hope that NUHW is returning to the bargaining table with a sincere interest in reaching an agreement that is good for our therapists and members,” the statement continued.
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