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Kaiser Permanente, headquartered in Oakland, posted $63.9 billion in operating revenue and nearly $2 billion<\/a> in operating income for the first half of 2025, slightly higher than for the same period last year. The health organization and its affiliates, with about 12.6 million members, have been acquiring hospital systems<\/a> in recent years, including in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.<\/p>\n Sims dismissed claims that Kaiser is putting the quality of patient care at risk, citing top ratings for its Medicare and commercial health plans. The threat of a walkout, he said, aims to pressure Kaiser to agree to union demands for a 25% pay increase over four years. The organization\u2019s latest offer adds up to 21.5% and improves medical plans and retiree benefits, Sims said, showing that the private nonprofit health plan values its employees as it tries to keep care affordable for patients.<\/p>\n \u201cThey say their goal is to protect patients by ensuring better care and staffing, but the real issue is wages \u2014 they are demanding significantly higher increases than our 21.5% offer,\u201d Sims said. \u201cTheir claims about Kaiser Permanente\u2019s quality and staffing don\u2019t reflect the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the employer, the organization meets and often exceeds California\u2019s mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and staffing standards.<\/p>\n Kaiser\u2019s offer includes gradual raises of 6.5% in 2025, 6.5% in 2026, 4% in 2027 and 3% in 2028, according to the <\/a>Alliance. The union has proposed a boost of 13% in 2025, 6% in 2026, 4% in 2027 and 4% in 2028.<\/p>\n Peter Sidhu, UNAC\/UHCP executive vice president, said the union agreed to much lower wage increases in contract negotiations during the COVID-19 pandemic, because Kaiser maintained it was struggling financially. As a result, he said, the union\u2019s members were left behind as inflation soared and other employees who went on strike got bigger pay boosts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not just negotiating for today\u2019s needs. We\u2019re negotiating for the inflation that our members have had,\u201d Sidhu, who worked for Kaiser for more than 20 years as a critical care nurse, told KQED. \u201cAnd during that time, we\u2019ve lost a lot of staff. There\u2019s been a mass exodus. So in order for us to catch up and be competitive in this market, we need more than what they\u2019re offering.\u201d<\/p>\n KQED\u2019s <\/em>Kevin Stark <\/em><\/a>contributed to this story.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n