A large inflatable rat on display at the Antioch Kaiser strike on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 18, 2021. Photos by Allen Payton
On strike for nearly three months
By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Kaiser Permanente has been bargaining in good faith with Local 39 IUOE (International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 Stationary Engineers), the union that represents about 600 Kaiser Permanente operating engineers, for several months. The union decided to call a strike and have kept employees out for nearly three months. Our proposals to Local 39 will keep our engineers among the best compensated in their profession, at an average of more than $180,000 in total wages and benefits. We are not proposing any take-aways. (See related article)
In bargaining with IOUE Local 39, we delivered a comprehensive proposal that offers across-the-board pay increases and cash payments that are similar to our other employees’ and continues to include all our industry-leading benefits. Further, engineers’ retirement benefit would continue to be substantial, with several improvements.
Right now, Local 39’s position is the same as before it went on strike. The union continues to insist it receive much more – in some cases nearly 2 times more – than other union agreements covering Kaiser Permanente employees. It simply is not in line with other employees, nor is it in line with our obligation to continue addressing the affordability of health care for our more than 4.5 million members.
We will continue to bargain in good faith, and we hope that Local 39 leaders will continue to do the same. That means more discussion, fresh ideas, and compromise. At this time, we do not have any further dates scheduled to meet. We are optimistic that we can resolve the remaining issues with Local 39 at the bargaining table and reach an agreement that continues to reward our employees and supports health care affordability, just as we have with several unions recently.
This article is completely one-sided coverage! Did you talk to the union? Did you talk with any of the 700+ striking engineers who have been without pay on the strike line covering 24/7 for nearly 3 months? This reads like a Kaiser press release, not a new article. Did anyone check those inflated numbers or just take Kaiser’s word for it? The engineers are asking to be paid the same as others in their field. Reach out and ask them!
It’s not an article. It’s a press release from Kaiser. Please note the byline to see who wrote it. We’ve also run press releases from at least two unions that participated in sympathy strikes in support of the engineers.
Thank you for reading the Herald and taking the time to comment.
Allen Payton, Publisher
Where did Kaiser come up with $180k a year? I retired from Kaiser with Local 39 Union pension! I was the highest payed Senior Biomed engineer and did not make that kind of money, Kaiser is super inflating the numbers!