Contracts & Bargaining
UPSC Officers:
Janine Dang, PharmD
Stephenie Ellis, PharmD
Li-Ming Fong, PharmD
Malinda Greene, RPh
Margaret Kee, PharmD
Grace Lee, PharmD
Jennifer Lowe, PharmD
Vy Nguyen, PharmD
Sophia Pak, PharmD
UNAC/UHCP Staff Representatives:
George Doctorian, Lead Negotiator
Fred Aziz, PharmD
Kathie Varisco, PharmD
Max Wang, PharmD
Over two days of bargaining this week, we had some good, fruitful conversations.
We made proposals and counter-proposals:
We rejected a management proposal around probation and evaluation for new hires.
The employer also passed us a package proposal that included education time, bereavement leave, probation and evaluation for new hires, and vacation bidding.
We must never forget that nothing was given us by employer kindness. We bargained every step of the way for the excellent wages and benefits we enjoy in our contracts—empowered by member strength and solidarity.
As a team and membership, we remain committed to the interest-based process. UPSC stands united to provide the best new contract possible.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions
We added new bargaining dates. Sign up to observe negotiations in Memberlink.
When management sees members show up as observers, they see how united and engaged we are.
Location: KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
Bargaining typically starts at 9 am and ends at 5 pm. We welcome observers to join for any amount of time you can attend.
This week, management rejected our proposals on Lactation Accommodations and Tuition Reimbursement, which would have supported nursing mothers and expanded utilization of educational opportunities.
We hope our employer remains as committed to the interest-based bargaining as we are. Despite the rejections, we forged on and presented our economic proposal, which includes:
• New longevity steps to improve staff retention and recognize years of service
• Increases to shift differentials that reward members for the shifts they are working
• Addition of preceptor differential to acknowledge pharmacists’ contributions to train future professionals
• Increase standby pay
• Increase to Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS) differential to enhance the patient experience
• Increase differential for lead pharmacist and pharmacist-in-charge positions
Additionally, we passed counter-proposals across the table on:
• Grievance and arbitration procedures
• Bereavement leave
• Clarification of education language
Management gave us their proposal on alternative compensation program (ACP) benefits.
We look forward to more interest-based bargaining anchored in mutual respect, common interest, and collaborative problem-solving.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions
We added new bargaining dates. Sign up to observe negotiations in Memberlink.
When management sees members show up as observers, they see how united and engaged we are.
• July 8, 2025
• July 9, 2025
• July 24, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 31, 2025
• August 12, 2025
• August 14, 2025
• August 26, 2025
• August 27, 2025
Location: KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
Bargaining typically starts at 9 am and ends at 5 pm. We welcome observers to join for any amount of time you can attend.
Our bargaining team has reached a productive stage in contract negotiations. During our June 10 meeting, we exchanged multiple proposals with management.
Our Proposals: We presented two initial proposals focused on improving the language on tuition reimbursement and vacation bidding. Additionally, we countered management’s proposal on education time by strengthening and clarifying the existing contract language.
Management’s Proposals: Management passed across the table two initial proposals regarding bereavement and the grievance and arbitration process. They also countered our Time Off Request Tracker (TORT) proposal.
Throughout negotiations, we have maintained interest-based, solutions-oriented, and mutually respectful dialogue. Our team remains united as we continue to engage management in this collaborative process.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions
Below is our summer bargaining schedule:
• June 25, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• June 26, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• July 8, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• July 24, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• July 25, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• July 31, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
• August 12, 2025 at AFSCME Disctrict Council 36 (Vernon, CA)
• August 26, 2025 at KP Independence Park (Downey, CA)
Bargaining typically starts at 9am and ends at 5pm. We welcome observers to join for any amount of time you are able to attend. Sign up in Memberlink!
On Friday, May 30, we resumed bargaining with management and continued engaging in the interest-based bargaining process, which is anchored in common interest and collaborative problem-solving. We passed to management an initial proposal for Lactation Accommodations. Management also introduced an initial proposal on Paid Education Leave CEUs.
We are proud that our bargaining team remains committed to representing the best interests of UPSC. We are working on developing new proposals that tackle the concerns raised by our members.
Next Bargaining Session
Our next bargaining session is scheduled for June 10, 2025 at Kaiser Independence Park. If you are interested in being an observer, please sign-up in Memberlink.
We continue to have rich discussions engaging in interest-based bargaining. On May 20, we reached another agreement with management, signing a Letter of Understanding that will allow us to use gender-neutral pronouns in the contract.
At this bargaining session, we also addressed a key issue about Time Off Request Tracker (TORT). We presented to management a proposal strengthening the process of requesting time off, submitting contract language that supports work-life balance.
Management also presented their first proposal on transfer rights for new hires.
Next Bargaining Session
We meet again with management on Friday, May 30, 2025 at Kaiser Independence Park. We always welcome members to join us and observe the bargaining process! Sign up in Memberlink.
We are very excited to share that we reached our first Tentative Agreement (TA). We met with management on Thursday, May 1 and through dialogue and consensus-based decision-making, we created contract language recognizing the importance of mandatory training and uninterrupted training time for pharmacists.
We also continued our conversations about:
• education time and education utilization
• jury duty for part-timers, focused on clarifying contract language
• use of gender-neutral pronouns within contract
Next Bargaining Session
Contract negotiations continue on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at Kaiser Independence Park. To observe bargaining, sign up in MemberLink.
We are making progress in our contract negotiations. On April 23 and April 24,we met with management and shared our labor-side interests. We also engaged in meaningful conversations rooted in finding solutions to improving workplace issues. We continued extensive dialog around time off requests and utilization of ETO.
Overall, we gave management four proposals that support creating a workplace where pharmacists can access educational resources and establish an environment where everyone receives consistent and fair treatment:
• proposal on education utilization to expand and clarify language
• counter-proposal on mandatory training
• proposal regarding jury duty, clarifying language for part-timers
• letter of understanding (LOU) regarding use of gender neutral language
What’s Next?
Our next bargaining session is on Thursday, May 1. If you would like observe bargaining, RSVP in MemberLink.
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, we met with management and further discussed our mutual interests. We explored the issues of time-off requests and work-life balance, policies that enable our pharmacists to effectively plan our personal and professional lives and help reduce burnout.
We also engaged in dialogue about education time, where we emphasized that access to and utilization of education time help pharmacists stay updated within the rapidly evolving pharmaceutical landscape, which also allows pharmacists to better serve patients.
Looking Forward
Our next bargaining dates are Wednesday, April 23, 2025 and Thursday, April 24, 2025 at KP Independence Park. Log in to Memberlink to see the bargaining schedule.
UNAC/UHCP President Charmaine S. Morales, RN, with the UPSC bargaining team.
We had a very strong start to local contract negotiations. We met with management on Friday, April 4, 2025 in Downey, CA.
We established ground rules to facilitate consensus-based interest-based bargaining. We shared our key bargaining interests, and then dove into deeper conversations focused on mandatory training and work life balance. We gave management our proposal on mandatory training. Overall, we had very productive conversations.
Meet our Bargaining Team
Our bargaining team is committed to negotiating the best contract possible. Members of the bargaining team are:
UPSC Officers:
Janine Dang, PharmD
Stephenie Ellis, PharmD
Li-Ming Fong, PharmD
Malinda Greene, RPh
Margaret Kee, PharmD
Grace Lee, PharmD
Jennifer Lowe, PharmD
Vy Nguyen, PharmD
Sophia Pak, PharmD
UNAC/UHCP Staff Representatives:
George Doctorian, Lead Negotiator
Fred Aziz, PharmD
Kathie Varisco, PharmD
Max Wang, PharmD
Looking Forward
Our next bargaining date is Thursday, April 10, 2025 at AFSCME District Council 36. Check MemberLink for additional bargaining dates.
Southern California Kickoff
We’re ready to work toward a contract that strengthens our labor-management partnership and ensures the best care for our patients. Nearly 30,000 registered nurses and healthcare professionals across Southern California are coming together to advocate for wages that attract, retain, and respect the dedicated professionals who keep Kaiser Permanente at the forefront of healthcare.
Representing registered nurses, pharmacists, rehab therapists, optometrists, dietitians, audiologists, health educators, and speech-language pathologists, we know that delivering high-quality care starts with safe staffing. When teams are fully supported, patients receive the best care, and professionals can work at the top of their licenses.
Almost all Southern California KP contracts expire on September 30, 2025. These negotiations are a key opportunity to strengthen our workforce, improve patient outcomes, and reinforce the partnership that has provided high-quality care to Kaiser Permanente patients.
Together, we are committed to solutions that support healthcare professionals, enhance patient care, and uphold our shared mission. Stay engaged—this is our moment to make a real difference.