Press Release

Tentative Contract Agreement Reached Between Kaiser and California Nurses

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) Deputy Director Richard Barnes today announced that a tentative contract agreement has been reached between Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and the California Nurses Association (CNA), which represents approximately 7,500 nurses in 30 Kaiser hospitals in Northern California. The agreement was reached in the early hours of Wednesday, following nearly around-the-clock bargaining.

Two federal mediators, Commissioners Phyllis Cayse and Gary Hattal, have been actively involved in the periodic negotiations with CNA and Kaiser since January 1997. The talks have been punctuated with a series of one-day strikes by the nurses, however, a planned strike for today was postponed when the parties agreed to resume formal negotiations. FMCS Deputy Director Barnes, a member of the United Parcel Service/Teamsters mediation team last summer, has also participated in many of the meetings between the two sides, and joined the final negotiations Tuesday afternoon.

The tentative agreement will be submitted for a ratification vote by California Nurses Association local members within 30 days.

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