It’s #SolidaritySeason and union members are on the picket lines across the country! SEIU Local 503 members and staff joined our union siblings from SEIU Local 49 as Kaiser Permanente workers went on strike October 4 – 6 at sites in metro Portland and Salem. The strike was part of a multi-state action of 75,000 Kaiser workers, the largest health care strike in our nation’s history.

These actions worked! SEIU locals across the West reached a settlement with Kaiser on the contract. Here are some of the highlights:

• 21% across-the-board raises for ALL regions: 6% in October 2023; 5% in October 2024; 5% in October 2025; 5% in October 2026 – the largest raise package in the history of the Kaiser Labor/Management Partnership.
• Renewed outsourcing and subcontracting protections for all classifications.
• $1,500 ratification bonus for all workers.
• Increase minimum wage:
  • Northwest and other Regions Outside California: June 2024: $21/hr; June 2025: $22/hr; June 2026: $23/hr
• Protected healthcare and pension benefits and improved retiree medical benefits.
• A full menu of initiatives to invest in the workforce and address the short-staffing crisis.
• And much more.

The picket lines were hopping and full of activity. Catch a glimpse here: