Update: April 18
The NCAM bargaining team met with Kaiser Permanente from April 15 to 17 to continue negotiations for our first contract. Over three days of bargaining, we made clear that midwives deserve a contract that reflects our unique roles and interests—not a recycled agreement from other labor tables.
Key Developments:
- Grievance and Arbitration & Corrective Action: KP reintroduced amended proposals similar to those tentatively agreed upon by other units (such as the PAs). While management appears to be pushing for uniform language across units, our team is holding firm—reviewing every proposal to ensure it meets the specific needs and interests of NCAM members. We’ve already countered on Corrective Action, and KP responded with their previous version, which we are currently holding.
- Leave of Absence (LOA) & Paid Time Off (PTO): Management also introduced two new proposals on LOA and PTO. These are currently under union review and being held for further discussion.
- Per Diem Protections: One of the most contentious topics was management’s initial proposal to eliminate positions or expedite the termination process for Per Diem midwives, particularly in response to low patient volumes or scheduling issues. Our team strongly pushed back, making it clear that such an approach is unacceptable. We’ve exchanged multiple counters on Per Diem protections, and the latest union proposal is now with KP for review.
Bottom Line:
This is a fight—and we are in it for a contract that works for midwives and protects our best interests. Management may try to streamline proposals across different bargaining tables, but our team is committed to bargaining language that truly serves our members and the profession we represent.
What’s Next:
Bargaining Dates:
Our next bargaining dates are on April 29 and 30 in Oakland. As always, NCAM members are encouraged to attend bargaining sessions as observers—your presence makes a difference.
Bargaining Debrief:
Please join members of your bargaining team on Monday, April 21 at 12:30 PM PT to debrief bargaining from this past week. Click here to join the debrief.
NCAL Midwives Update #14: March 21
Two TAs and a Staffing Win!
This week, we secured two Tentative Agreements—one on probation, the other on performance evaluations.
We also reached agreement on Central Valley Area support during short staffing, with protections to ensure members can safely transition between day and night shifts.
Management pushed back hard at times, and we had to remind them that this was Interest-Based Problem Solving, not positional bargaining.
Observers continue to make a big impact. Join us in Sacramento for more bargaining, April 15-17—your voice matters!
BARGAINING DEBRIEF:
Please join members of your bargaining team on Monday, March 24 at 6:30 PM PT to debrief bargaining from this past week. We will also use this time to discuss the scheduled survey, as requested by membership. Please note that we are adding time to this meeting to accommodate this request.
Click here to join the debrief.
Coming up:
Bargaining update chat: March 24, 6:30pm PT
Bargaining: April 15-17 at the Sacramento Grand