UNAC/UHCP Announces Pause In Kaiser Permanente Labor Management Partnership Activities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 8, 2025

Contact: press@unacuhcp.org

UNAC/UHCP ANNOUNCES PAUSE IN KAISER PERMANENTE LABOR MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES

Union stresses patient care and services will continue without interruption; calls for collaboration that once sustained Kaiser’s long-term success

OAKLAND, CA — The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) announced today that it is pausing participation in Labor Management Partnership (LMP) activities at Kaiser Permanente, citing a breakdown in Kaiser’s willingness to collaborate on processes that once drove patient-centered innovation and health care excellence.

UNAC/UHCP emphasized that this pause affects internal labor-management committees and administrative structures only — not patient care delivery. All nurses and health care professionals will continue providing the same high-quality care that has earned Kaiser Permanente accolades for recognition.

As Charmaine S. Morales, RN, President of UNAC/UHCP said: “Our pause is a message to the employer that Kaiser works because we do. Our members remain fully committed to their patients. This is about protecting the long-term quality and integrity of Kaiser Permanente’s care model — not interrupting it.”

The majority of UNAC/UHCP’s collective bargaining agreements with Kaiser Permanente expired on September 30, and the union has delivered a legally required 10-day notice to strike the health care giant, along with several unions in the Alliance of Health Care Unions. That five-day strike begins October 14 and ends October 19.

A Pause to Protect the Foundation of Quality Care

The Partnership pause marks an attempt to highlight the need for Kaiser to be a true partner as intended: the Labor Management Partnership, established in 1997, has long been recognized as a national model for cooperative labor-management relations. Through its joint councils, committees, and unit-based teams, the Partnership has historically improved patient access, safety, affordability, and satisfaction by involving frontline caregivers directly in operational decisions.

UNAC/UHCP’s pause affects participation in structures such as partnership councils, workplace safety and attendance committees, unit-based team projects, and other administrative initiatives. These forums guide long-term planning and improvement projects — but are not part of daily patient care or clinical operations.

“For nearly three decades, partnership made Kaiser Permanente a leader because it empowered the people delivering care to help shape how care is delivered,” Morales said. “When that collaboration is replaced by scripted responses and disregard for frontline experience, it weakens the very systems that keep patients safe, supported, and well cared for.”

Why the Pause Matters for the Future

UNAC/UHCP’s action reflects deep concern over Kaiser leadership’s recent shift away from genuine collaboration in decision-making. The union reports repeated patterns of delays, deflection, and lack of preparedness in partnership forums, undermining efforts to improve staffing, workflow, and safety — key drivers of quality patient care.

A Call to Rebuild Collaboration

UNAC/UHCP urged Kaiser leadership to recommit to the founding principles of the LMP: transparency, respect, and authentic joint problem-solving.

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About UNAC/UHCP

The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) represents over 40,000 registered nurses and health care professionals across Southern California and Hawaii. UNAC/UHCP is a leading affiliate of the Alliance of Health Care Unions, which partners with Kaiser Permanente and other health systems to advance quality patient care and fair working conditions.