Kaiser Permanente workers: Message from UNITE HERE Local 5 and Hawaii Nurses’ Association/OPEIU Local 50

Union leaders, bargaining team members and observers of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions arrived Monday night and yesterday morning in Oakland to begin negotiations with Kaiser Permanente management for a new National Agreement. Despite an unexpected announcement on March 26 by some of the member unions that they are withdrawing from the Coalition, we are proceeding forward.

The remaining unions of the Coalition – Locals of SEIU, OPEIU, IFPTE and UNITE HERE representing more than two-thirds of the total health care workers – clarified that nothing has changed regarding the status and rights of the Coalition, and they expect negotiations to proceed.

This is will not affect the partnership in Hawaii between the Hawaii Nurses’ Association/OPEIU Local 50 and UNITE HERE Local 5. Both unions remain firmly united on the local and national level and members of both unions will retain all the rights, benefits and privileges of the National Agreement. Both unions are together requesting local bargaining and intend to bargain until an agreement is reached.

We will issue updates as this unfolds.