Agreement prioritizes patient care and safety through significant workforce retention and recruitment investments.
BAKERSFIELD, CA – The 3-day ULP strike scheduled for August 9 is averted, as healthcare workers represented by SEIU Local 521 and the Kern County Hospital Authority (KCHA) reached a tentative agreement over the July 23rd weekend. The new agreement addresses the severe staffing crisis through serious recruitment and retention investments. It includes significant wage increases for all represented healthcare workers, many of who had been earning wages far below market comparisons.
The tentative agreement makes strides to address the causes of the staffing challenges impacting Kern Medical, including automatic raises for all workers under the contract, 1-time bonuses for full-time and part-time employees, and additional salary steps for Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistants among others.
“It’s no secret Kern Medical has experienced a chronic staffing shortage, and it’s been hard to get workers to stay, ” said Eva Dominguez, MRI Technologist and a member of the SEIU 521 Negotiations team. “Healthcare workers would come here, gain valuable experience, then move on to neighboring hospitals. With this new agreement, we believe we have a better chance of holding onto experienced healthcare workers who live and raise their families here in Kern County. Our fight was always about putting Kern Medical in a position to compete for the best workers and providing the best care for all Kern residents.”
“Healthcare workers have made incredible sacrifices on the frontline and have always been essential; this is why we fought hard for an agreement that truly commits to the safety of patients and workers,” said Riko Mendez, SEIU 521 Chief Elected Officer. “Our members made clear we were willing to do what it took not just to negotiate fair wages but a comprehensive plan that addressed worker turnover and recruitment.”
The agreement must be ratified by the hospital workers and approved by the Kern County Hospital Authority Governing Board before it is final. The contract ratification vote will happen beginning Tuesday, July 26.
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