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After Historic Strike, Unions Reach Tentative Deal With Kaiser Permanente

Workers secured a victory after the largest health care strike in U.S. history, protesting staff shortages and low pay.

Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers form a picket line at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center in Oakland, California, on October 4, 2023.

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The coalition of labor unions that represents the tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers who took part in the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history last week announced Friday that it has reached a tentative contract agreement with the nonprofit hospital giant after months of negotiations.

The details of the agreement were not immediately available, but SEIU United Healthcare Workers West — part of the Kaiser union coalition — called the tentative agreement a “victory” in a social media post.

“The frontline healthcare workers of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are excited to have reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente,” the union wrote. “We are thankful for the instrumental support of Acting US Labor Secretary Julie Su. A full announcement will follow shortly.

Last week, 75,000 Kaiser employees in several states went on strike to protest chronic understaffing, job outsourcing, inadequate wages, and the company’s alleged unfair labor practices.

The three-day walkout drew vocal support from progressive members of Congress and the labor movement, including the striking United Auto Workers.

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