Kaiser Permanente workers ratify contract after strike over wages and staffing levels

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tens of thousands of health care workers have ratified a new four-year contract with industry giant Kaiser Permanente following a strike over wages and staffing levels. The parties announced the contract’s approval on Thursday. Of the 85,000 members in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, 98.5% voted to ratify the deal. It runs retroactively from Oct. 1 through September 2027. Oakland, California-based Kaiser has hospitals and clinics that serve nearly 13 million Americans. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients. Both sides say they prioritized patient health care during their talks.