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Kaiser Permanente, unions reach agreement on new contract
Kaiser Permanente and a coalition of unions, including one that represents Maryland employees, have agreed to a new contract less than a week after the unions’ members voted to authorize an October strike.
The new four-year contract will provide wage increases, career training and a workforce development fund. It will also ban the outsourcing of some jobs and protect retiree pension plans.
The 11 unions, which cover more than 80,000 employees, still must ratify the contract, which would kick in Oct. 1.
The two sides have been negotiating since April. The negotiations escalated last week when the unions voted to authorize a seven-day strike beginning Oct. 14.
Kaiser is a health insurer but also provides health care at 20 medical centers in Maryland. The contract covers employees, not counting doctors and nurses, at those medical centers.
The local employees are members of the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 2.
