HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Kaiser healthcare professionals in Hawaii and California have ratified new contracts following months of negotiations and strikes.
The agreements, approved by members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals union, include patient safety protections, staffing improvements, and wage increases.
The contracts took effect immediately upon ratification and will run through Sept. 30, 2029.
“This agreement reflects everything our members stood up and stood together for: safe staffing, improved access, and respect for the professionals who provide critical care every day,” said Charmaine Morales, RN, UNAC/UHCP president.
“This fight was always about our patients and the public good, and we’ve made meaningful progress to ensure caregivers have the time and resources necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care,” she added.
The new contracts follow months of labor actions, including multiple strikes involving tens of thousands of nurses and healthcare professionals across Kaiser facilities.
Union officials said the agreements include protections aimed at improving care quality. In Hawaii, pharmacists secured protected time for required training, while nurse anesthetists gained a professional practice committee, expanded compensation, and protections against the replacement of trained staff.
The union also said the contracts include the largest wage increases in its history.
“This is an important step forward, but the work doesn’t stop here,” said Peter Sidhu, RN, UNAC/UHCP executive vice president. “We’ll be vigilant — documenting ratio violations, escalating unsafe staffing gaps, and using every tool our new contracts provide to protect our patients.”
Union leaders said they will continue monitoring staffing levels and working to ensure the new provisions are implemented.
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