California nurses call off strike against Kaiser

The California Nurses Assn. announced Saturday that it has called off plans for a strike next week against Kaiser Permanente after reaching a tentative contract agreement for 18,000 of its members in Northern and Central California.

The tentative agreement, which will be put to a vote of union members this month, includes a 14% pay increase over three years, the hiring of hundreds of registered nurses, additional workplace protections and increased employer contribution to 410 (k) retirement plans, the union said in a statement.

Kaiser will also create a new committee of nurses and nurse practitioners to work with management and discuss concerns from the workforce.

California Nurses Assn. Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro praised her members for “their devotion to assuring the highest level of quality care for patients as well as protections for the nurses who deliver that care.”

“We look forward to a new chapter in our interactions with Kaiser,” DeMoro said. “We especially appreciate the commitment of Kaiser’s leadership to addressing our concerns…”

The agreement includes registered nurses and nurse practitioners who work in 86 Kaiser Pemanente hospitals and clinics in Northern and Central California.

“We greatly respect and value our nurses,” said Gregory A. Adams, group regional president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan Inc. in Northern California. “This agreement is aligned with our commitment to improve our quality and affordability and to be a national model for the delivery of healthcare.”

Follow @sjceasar