Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente said it has offered a contract proposal to the unions representing more than 80,000 Kaiser employees.
The Aug. 2 announcement comes as workers vote on whether to authorize bargaining teams to call a strike that would affect Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Union members in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Kaiser said the framework for its proposal was shared during a bargaining meeting July 11, and the detailed proposal was presented to coalition leadership on July 26.
"Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions have been working together toward a mutually beneficial national agreement, as we have done for decades," Arlene F. Peasnall, senior vice president human resources consulting and national human resources at Kaiser, said in a news release. "Our most recent proposal was presented to coalition leadership on Friday, July 26, and we are now sharing it directly with employees to ensure they receive the full offer accurately. We are hopeful that our employees will value our proposal, and the coalition will move forward with us to reach a new agreement. Our goal is to continue to make Kaiser Permanente a great place to give and receive care."
Kaiser's proposal includes across-the-board pay raises each year through 2022. For example, annual wage increases would be 3 percent in northern and southern California.
Kaiser said the latest proposal also keeps the existing defined pension plan as well as other strong employee benefits, and it includes a program to address the national healthcare worker shortage.
In response to Kaiser's announcement, union leaders said the coalition seeks to negotiate at the bargaining table rather than in the media, and reiterated their claim that Kaiser "has abandoned its mission to serve communities." They also reiterated that employees are fighting for safe staffing levels, "compassionate use of technology," financial transparency and wages and benefits "that can support families," among other issues.