Kaiser Permanente to stop neglect, have reached out to US and Reuters health workers

(Reuters) – Coalition leaders representing 50,000 nurses and other medical professionals in the US soon joined forces with Kaiser Permanente on Saturday, banning a strike that could disrupt patient care in hospitals.

Thousands of workers at Kaiser Permanente in Oregon, California, Colorado and other countries threatened to leave on Monday because of a medical plan to create a two-part pay system with lower pay for new jobs.

Kaiser and the Alliance of Health Care Unions, which represents 22 local organizations, agreed on a four-year agreement that includes raising salaries annually until 2025, the agency said. The partnership also includes health and retirement benefits as well as the establishment of a bonus system. The term did not include any financial statements.

“The agreement will mean that patients will continue to receive the best possible care, and members of the Alliance will have the best possible care,” said Hal Ruddick, chief executive of the Alliance. “This alliance protects our patients, provides safe staff, and guarantees good pay and benefits to every member of the Alliance,” he added.

In the past, the agency said the two-tier pay system is increasing what nurses describe as a workforce problem within the COVID-19 epidemic.

Kaiser is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare organizations in the country and its regulatory agencies, which generated about $ 24 billion in the last quarter.

“This well-known agreement puts Kaiser Permanente in a brighter future that focuses on providing affordable and affordable health care to our more than 12 million members and the communities we serve,” said Christian Meisner, vice president and chief of staff. . and Kaiser Permanente.

Voting on an imminent alliance will take place in a few weeks and once approved, the alliance will resume until Oct. 1, 2021.