Kaiser: Get Back To Partnership
Summary of Kaiser Permanente–Labor Meeting (April 20)
On April 20, Kaiser Permanente (KP) leadership met with labor representatives (staff representatives, labor partners and eboard members) to present an initiative titled “Journey to Excellence.” KP confirmed that this initiative has already been rolled out, and labor was not included in the early planning, development, or decision‑making process. The initiative was not designed or implemented in partnership with labor.
KP leadership stated that the purpose of “Journey to Excellence” is to position the organization to compete for a top national healthcare quality award, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. During the meeting, KP leadership asked labor to approve the plan as presented, despite labor’s exclusion from earlier stages.
2026 Widely Important Goals (WIGs)
KP leadership also outlined its proposed 2026 Widely Important Goals (WIGs):
Workforce Engagement
Access Performance
Expense Trend
Labor noted that these goals were presented without prior collaboration or joint development and raised concerns about how workforce engagement can be meaningfully improved without early and ongoing labor involvement.
Hiring Freeze Confirmation
KP leadership confirmed that there is currently a freeze on hiring for non–patient‑facing positions. No details were provided regarding the duration of the freeze, the criteria for exemption, or how the hiring freeze aligns with KP’s stated goals of workforce engagement and access performance.
Key Labor Concerns Identified:
Labor was excluded from early planning and implementation of “Journey to Excellence,” which contradicts principles of partnership.
Labor was asked to endorse a fully developed plan without the opportunity for meaningful input or revisions.
There is a lack of transparency regarding how workforce engagement can be achieved while simultaneously freezing non–patient‑facing roles. Cost containment (“Expense Trend”) appears to be prioritized without clear protections for staffing levels, workload impact, or long‑term patient care outcomes.
