We need to share an update with our members about the current state of contract implementation and the reasons progress has not moved as quickly as it should.
Your RN Bargaining Unit leaders are volunteers who also work full-time in Kaiser departments. During bargaining, the Employer released us from our regular assignments so we could participate. We are no longer in bargaining; we are now in implementation. Like many of you, we work in short-staffed units with little or no backfill. Kaiser often gives short notice for implementation meetings, which forces us to choose between attending and further straining already understaffed departments.
Despite extensive joint education and repeated efforts to ensure Labor and Management share a clear understanding of the agreement, we are still having to correct and defend what was negotiated. The Employer has also changed its bargaining team, and none of the current implementation representatives were part of the negotiations. This has directly contributed to misunderstandings and repeated re-litigation of settled issues.
As a result, issues we understood to be resolved, such as Continuing Care mileage and staffing provisions, are being scrutinized. In many cases, we are not meeting with decision-makers who have final authority to resolve these matters. While Kaiser controls the selection of its management representatives, these choices have slowed implementation, created inconsistent interpretations, and led to uneven application of the contract across the bargaining unit.
We recognize that multiple implementation issues are affecting RNs, and it can be difficult to track where each one stands. This tracker clearly outlines each issue, the actions taken, what has been resolved, and what remains outstanding:
Implementation FAQ
Click Here to Read our Implementation FAQ
Contract implementation meetings
Please note this timeline reflects only the most visible parts of the implementation process and is not exhaustive.
- April 10, 2026
- May 14, 2026
- May 21, 2026
- May 28, 2026
- June 2, 2026
- June 4, 2026
- June 11, 2026
- June 12, 2026 — canceled by Management
- June 22, 2026
- August 21, 2026 to discuss Article 9
Joint Labor-Management education for the Staffing Office
- June 3, 2026
- June 4, 2026
Joint Labor-Management education for managers
- June 24, 2026 — in person
- August 3, 2026 — hybrid
- August 21, 2026 — online; scheduled
Joint contract communications issued to members and management
- May 13, 2026 — bereavement
- June 5, 2026 — seniority, number of nurses allowed off, on-call requirements, Charge Nurse language, mileage, bereavement, Employee Health, and additional implementation topics
- June 8, 2026 — follow-up communication regarding the above topics
Formal escalation to the Regional Chief Nursing Executive (CNE)
- July 10, 2026 — written demand for action and class-action grievances filed
- July 14, 2026 — additional class-action grievances filed
- July 24, 2026 — response received from the Regional CNE
Meetings specifically addressing Staffing Office implementation
- August 4, 2026
- August 18, 2026 — scheduled
RN BU leadership meetings with the Regional CNE
- August 5, 2026
- August 26, 2026 — scheduled
Regional class-action grievances
- KPRN 1194: All RNs covered by Articles 9 and 14 — Staffing Office accountability and implementation. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1195: Career Ladder differential — missing retroactive pay and incorrect calculations. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1196: Contractual differential pay, including weekend, preceptor, and evening differentials. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1197: All eligible RNs who have not received Step 13 wages or retroactive pay. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1198: WMC and SMC Surgical Services RNs not paid the contractual standby rate. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1199: RNs who lost work opportunities in their home departments. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1203: Washington meal and rest breaks. Heard August 6.
- KPRN 1204: RNs who worked Saturday night shifts but were not paid the contractual rate. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1205: Article 17 — RNs who did not receive holiday pay equal to their regular shift length for holidays not worked. Heard July 28.
- KPRN 1206: RNs missing across-the-board wage increases. Heard; date to be added.
- KPRN 1213: Mileage for Continuing Care Services, Home Health, Home Infusion Therapy, and Hospice RNs. Filed August 7.
- KPRN 1212: Article 9 — outpatient RNs who picked up shifts above their coding and should have been paid at 1.5 times their regular rate. Filed August 6.
Unfair Labor Practice charges
- Filed.
Kaiser contract town hall
- May 6, 2026
Education regarding new CBA
Draft of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
OFNHP Certification Funds:
Please note that the OFNHP RN certification funds are $20k each calendar year. Kaiser has been paying ~$400 per RN for certification reimbursement which means about 50 nurses able been able to use this fund! At this time, the 2026 funds have been EXHAUSTED. The education committee is back up and working and will be overseeing the distribution of the funds moving forward.
- Kaiser RN Bargaining Unit Leadership
- Katie Johnson, Chair
- Mary Coffelt Vice Chair
- Geoffrey Nighswonger Vice Chair