Los Angeles, May 28 - The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente on a new, two-year National Agreement. The tentative agreement provides for annual 3% across-the-board wage increases, maintenance of current benefits, an enhanced sick leave cash-out option, stable funding for workforce development trust funds, and strengthening the Labor Management Partnership.

The agreement will be submitted to the members of individual unions for ratification this summer. If ratified,the contract and the first annual wage increase, will be effective October 1, 2010. For USW Local 7600 members, the dates are in the process of being determined for the ratification meetings. Flyers will be distributed with the times and date, as well as the website being updated.

Economics:

• Two across-the-board wage increases, effective October 1, 2010 and October 1, 2011, for all Coalition members in every region.
• An additional 0.5% for Southern California registered nurses, and an 0.5% retention bonus for clinical lab scientists in every region.
• Maintenance of all current benefits.
• Funding for the Workforce Planning and Development Trust funds, which provide for worker training and skill upgrades both for current and displaced workers, at the rate of 0.27% of annual payroll.
• Two-year agreement expires September 30, 2012.
• Sick leave cash-out incentive increased to 75%.