Kaiser reaches tentative deal with WA health care workers, avoiding strike

Thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in Washington have a new tentative contract.

The tentative deal comes after months of negotiations and staves off a strike at 36 locations across the state, which was scheduled to start this week if a deal was not reached by the end of October.

Specific details of the tentative deal have not yet been made available, but workers have been pushing for better staffing levels, and better wages to help recruit and retain employees.

In a statement, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, the union representing roughly 3,000 Kaiser workers in the state, said the tentative four-year labor contract complements a tentative deal reached earlier this month by the health care giant and a national coalition of unions.

The national deal came after a three-day strike by tens of thousands of Kaiser health care workers in other states, and some in Southwest Washington.

Health care workers in Washington represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW said previously that a strike here would be a last resort.

However, just a few weeks ago, workers voted to authorize a strike starting on Nov. 1 if no new contract agreement was reached. That’s no longer on the table.

“If ratified, the agreements offer SEIU Healthcare 1199NW members and Coalition-represented employees competitive wages, excellent benefits, generous retirement income plans, and valuable job training opportunities that support their economic well-being, advance our shared mission, and keep Kaiser Permanente a best place to work and receive care,” the union said in a statement.

A Kaiser Permanente spokesperson echoed the statement via email.

Workers will begin voting on the contract this week.