Yesterday we made some progress in bargaining, but we still have a long way to go. We reached tentative agreements on the following:
- Professional Time – retaining all of the current language related to exempt employees, including provisions for full pay for partial day absences
- Professional Practice Committees – adding language to incorporate guidelines for Local Professional Practice Committees into the contract
- Adding language to Appendix C – Wage Scales that highlights the 10% differential that non-benefitted employees receive in lieu of benefits.
In addition to these TAs, the Employer withdrew its proposal to modify Article XXIII – Paid Time Off and is now proposing current contract language. By withdrawing its proposal , the Employer is no longer proposing the following:
- Elimination or reduction of holiday pay in some instances
- Elimination of premium pay for working on a holiday
- Restrictions on PTO use for those who are about to retire
- Limiting the use of PTO to the amount accrued annually, even if one has more in their PTO bank
- A requirement to use PTO for partial day absences
- A requirement to get permission and “to ensure patient care needs are met” before taking a partial day absence
At the same time, Kaiser is not backing down on its proposals to allow lay off of employees and use outside providers and even AI to provide mental health services instead. Management is also holding firm on its proposals to eviscerate the workload and provider profile protections we currently have, including elimination of ratios and diminishment of protected Indirect Patent Care time. In short, Kaiser management wants to take away everything we won after a 10-week strike three years ago, plus more.
