Kaiser SoCal Mental Health Workers Ratify Contract Ending Six-Month Strike

After a historic six-month strike, approximately 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in Southern California ratified a new four-year contract that includes a 20% wage increase over the duration, five guaranteed hours per week for essential administrative duties outside patient appointments, and a new cash balance pension plan that guarantees retirement income. The strike, the longest by mental health workers in U.S. history, aimed to address pay parity, improved benefits, and better working conditions, with the union securing pay raises retroactive to September 2024 and a $2,500 ratification bonus. While the deal represents progress, some union members expressed mixed feelings, highlighting that not all demands were met, such as the union's initial request for seven hours of guaranteed administrative time, which was reduced to five. The contract also includes additional pay for bilingual workers and aims to improve patient care delivery by alleviating workload pressures. Despite the ratification, the return to work has faced some logistical challenges, with certain employees reporting delays in reinstatement. The union continues to advocate for broader legislative changes to improve pay and conditions for mental health clinicians statewide.