Two lanes of Bay Bridge will be closed.

Various ramps and ped/bike path closures scheduled along I-80 and U.S. 101 in San Francisco due to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2023 Summit

Information from MTC, CalTrans & CHP

People traveling to, from and within San Francisco next week can expect heavy congestion and traffic delays; transit reroutes, delays and crowding; and reduced or inconvenient pedestrian and bicycle access during the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2023 Summit taking place in the city from Monday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 19. 

APEC is expected to draw more than 20,000 people, including heads of state and dignitaries from over 20 member economies, to downtown San Francisco. MTC encourages people to avoid traveling to San Francisco next week if possible. For those who must travel to or through the city, MTC encourages them to ride transit and to visit 511.org for critical travel alerts related to street closures and transportation delays. 

 In cooperation with the California Highway Patrol, and in coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, Caltrans is implementing enhanced safety measures throughout our highway systems in and around San Francisco during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2023 summit starting Wednesday, November 15. The U.S. Secret Service recently designated the APEC summit as a National Special Security Event, requiring heightened security measures in and around the city of San Francisco.

Closures: At the request of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, Caltrans will be implementing the following closures to ensure the safety and security of all attendees and residents:

San Francisco / Oakland Bay Bridge

Closures of #1 (left) lane on Eastbound I-80 and #5 (right) lane on Westbound I-80

o Tuesday, November 14 through Friday, November 17, 2023.

o 4 Day Closure, beginning 11/14 at 5:00 AM, ending 11/17 at 9:00 PM.

o Controlled access to Bay Bridge Ped/Bike Path.

o No impacts to transit bus services.

o Treasure Island on-/off-ramps, Fremont Street off-ramp remain open.

Closures of 4th Street off-ramp from Eastbound I-80 and 5th Street off-ramp from Westbound I-80

o Wednesday, November 15 through Friday, November 17, 2023.

o 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Daily).

Closure of NB U.S. 101 Dana Bowers Vista Point off-ramp

o Tuesday, November 14 through Saturday, November 18 (Five Day Closure).

o No access to Dana Bowers Vista Point for vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians.

o Golden Gate Bridge Pedestrian Path closed at north end of bridge; no pedestrian access from Marin County.

o Bicycle Path on west side of bridge to remain open between Marin County and San Francisco.

California Highway Patrol officers will be present to enforce these closures. We understand that these closures may cause temporary inconvenience, but they are essential to ensure the safety and security of this significant event and to promote immediacy and availability for emergency response. We encourage you to plan your travels, accordingly, allow extra time for your commute, and consider using alternative routes or public transportation during this period. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated as we work to ensure the success of the APEC 2023 summit and the safety of our community.

Muni will reroute several transit lines from Nov. 13-19, and Muni Metro T-Third service will be suspended. For more details, visit SFMTA’s APEC information page. BART, Caltrain and the San Francisco Bay Ferry do not anticipate any major APEC-related impacts to their services.

For the Golden Gate Bridge, the Dana Bowers Vista Point off-ramp from northbound U.S. 101 will be closed from Nov. 14-18. There will be no access to the Vista Point for vehicles, bicyclists or pedestrians. The Golden Gate Bridge Pedestrian Path will be closed at north end of bridge, and there will be no pedestrian access from Marin County.

Most APEC activities will take place in the South of Market and Nob Hill neighborhoods. Due to the scale of the gathering, APEC also may create travel impacts on travel in other areas. People should expect a range of street impacts in and around the United States Secret Service security zones (Vehicle Exclusion Zones)(link is external) established for the conference and conference-related events. Pedestrians will be banned from APEC security zones unless they live or work there; and bicycles, whether traditional or e-bikes, also will be barred.

For 24/7 traffic updates, please visit 511.org: https://twitter.com/511SFBay.  MTC operates 511 in partnership with Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and other transportation agencies.

For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans QuickMap: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

Female was also arrested two days earlier for grand, petty theft in Pleasant Hill; male also arrested in 2017, 2022

By San Francisco District Attorney’s Office

San Francisco, CA – District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that Ahjanae Woods (23) and Terry Nichols (28), both of Antioch, have been charged in connection to the early morning smash and grab at Christian Dior in Union Square on October 12, 2023.

Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols were arraigned on October 16, 2023, and each pled not guilty to one count of second-degree commercial burglary (PC 459), one count of grand theft (PC 487(a), one count of organized retail theft (PC 490.4(a)(1)), one count of conspiracy (PC 182(a)) and one count of resisting arrest (PC 148(a)(1)).

“The early morning smash and grab at Christian Dior is one more example of how brazen some thieves have become,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This conduct is completely unacceptable and will be prosecuted vigorously. I would also like to thank the San Francisco Police Department for their swift action in responding to this incident and arresting these suspects. We will not let up on our efforts to improve public safety and demonstrate our resolve to those who choose to engage in criminal activity in our community.”

As listed in the overt acts of the conspiracy charge, it is alleged that at approximately 6:50AM on October 12, 2023, Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols, along with other uncharged co-conspirators, arrived in three vehicles to the Union Square neighborhood and first tried to break into Fendi at 195 Grant Street. The group then broke the gate and doors at Christian Dior at 185 Post Street where they stole numerous handbags and other merchandise.

Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichol’s next court date is October 27, 2023, for the preliminary hearing in this matter. The District Attorney’s Office moved to detain Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols pending trial because of the public safety risk they pose. The court granted the motion to detain Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols without prejudice. The court will hear further arguments on the People’s motion to detain at the time of the preliminary hearing in this case.

Although charges have been filed, this remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.

According to localcrimenews.com Nichols was also arrested in 2017 and 2022 by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for changing, altering, removing and/or obliterating ID marks on a firearm and for addict in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

As previously reported by the Herald, Woods was among 11 individuals arrested in Pleasant Hill on Oct. 10, 2023, for grand theft and petty theft.

Court Number: Woods, 23016759, Nichols 23016752

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By San Francisco District Attorney’s Office

On Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that Delandro Belvine-Brown (22) of Antioch, and Sean Raquel Jevonce Simon, Jr. (24) of Richmond, were each sentenced to three years imprisonment after pleading guilty in San Francisco Superior Court to committing robbery in violation of Penal Code Section 211, in relation to a series of retail thefts occurring in San Francisco.

“Retail theft continues to have a major impact on San Francisco’s business community and the city’s economic livelihood. These crimes demand accountability and we need to send the message to others involved in this criminal enterprise that, with the support of our local law enforcement partners, our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “With San Francisco Police Department receiving $15.3 million dollars and our office receiving $2 million from the Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program, law enforcement agencies in San Francisco will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute all levels of this criminal enterprise.”

In this case, the People alleged that Mr. Belvine-Brown and Mr. Simon were a part of an organized group which committed a series of snatch-and-grab thefts and robberies from Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, and Veo Optics stores in San Francisco from November 1, 2021, through July 1, 2022. By employing a consistent brazen theft strategy, Mr. Belvine-Brown, Mr. Simon, and others entered the store as a group, rapidly grabbed numerous expensive sunglasses from display shelves, and quickly exited the store and got in an awaiting car. Investigators from SFPD and Brentwood Police Department conducted a joint investigation as there were similar thefts that occurred in Contra Costa County. Investigators from both agencies examined evidence from multiple sources, including store surveillance videos, social media posts, and mobile phone records to identify the Defendants and their criminal activities.

The case against Mr. Belvine-Brown and Mr. Simon was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Conrad Del Rosario with support and assistance from District Attorney Inspector Lessa Vivian and Paralegal Chloe Mosqueda. This case was investigated by the San Francisco Police Department’s Burglary Unit and the Brentwood Police Department’s Investigation Division.

“Individuals who openly commit egregious and brazen retail crimes impact not only the store’s viability to stay open for their community, but also have long lasting effects on store employees and customers who are subjected to this blatant disregard for the law,” said Assistant District Attorney del Rosario. “These cases should serve as notice to those would-be thieves that law enforcement will aggressively investigate and prosecute their criminal activity in San Francisco.”

Belvine-Brown and Simon are currently in custody and will be transported to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s custody to begin serving their state prison sentences.

Court Number: Belvine-Brown, 22011459, Simon, 23003591

Thousands of invitations to be mailed

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12, 2023 . . . The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) this fall is teaming with the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and other partners to conduct a major survey designed to learn more about how people travel throughout the Bay Area. Beginning today, some 750,000 households throughout the nine-county region will receive invitations to participate in what is known as the Bay Area Travel Study.

The Bay Area Travel Study is designed to help MTC and other transportation agencies plan for a more efficient and more effective regional transportation network.

“Our goal is a Bay Area that is affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and economically vibrant for all of our residents and is also a great place for all our region’s visitors to enjoy,” observed MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. “Knowing more about how, when and why people go from place to place will help the Commission develop the right policies and make the smartest investments to achieve that goal.”

MTC expects to mail these invitations in four separate waves between now and December. Those who receive an invitation letter can expect to receive a follow-up postcard about a week later. A unique code will be provided to each household that accepts the invitation to participate, and each household will be assigned a date on which to start logging its travel activity in a survey diary. Respondents will be able to complete the study online, by phone, or through the rMove^TM smartphone app developed by RSG, a Vermont-based research firm hired by MTC as a consultant for the study.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. More information about the Bay Area Travel Study may be found on the MTC website at https://bayareatravelstudy.mtc.ca.gov.

Participated in at least two armed robberies of letter carriers, one in Antioch and one in San Francisco

Enforcement actions are coupled with announcement of $150,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of additional suspects

By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California

OAKLAND – Tuesday, October 10, 2023 – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez announced today that multiple arrests have been made in cases involving the interference with delivery of the U.S. mail. The announcement was made at a press conference held this morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building.

The theft of postal keys, break-ins of postal vehicles, assaults on letter carriers, and various other criminal acts involving interference with delivery of the mail and the alleged illegal possession of personally identifying information were all discussed at the press conference. According to U.S. Attorney Ramsey, defendants in each case now are facing severe federal penalties that make clear their alleged crimes were not worth the consequences. (See surveillance video released by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service of the alleged suspects, here and here)

“In each of the cases I will discuss,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “the government alleges the defendants have violated federal criminal laws and, as a consequence, federal agents and local law enforcement has tracked them down . . .. The penalties for these crimes can be sobering.”

Inspector in Charge Nuñez reinforced the U.S. Attorney’s remarks and announced that the reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of any individual who robs or assaults a postal worker is now $150,000.

“There is no more important mission for us as federal agents than protecting postal workers from crime and violence,” said Inspector in Charge Nuñez. “To any copycats or wannabes out there who might consider robbing a postal worker, I ask you to consider the years you will face in federal prison, the price on your head, and that postal inspectors will not stop hunting you. The proceeds of this crime are not worth your freedom.”

U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that most of the cases involved the theft of specialized postal keys that often grant access to large mailboxes or mail storage facilities. Holding one such postal key in his hand, U.S. Attorney Ramsey explained that federal laws have been “carefully crafted to protect the sanctity of the mail, including the sensitive information we entrust to the mail system; the safety of the federal employees and contractors who deliver the mail; and the federal property that is used to ensure mail delivery.” He then went on to describe how three of the defendants are alleged to have violated the law as follows:

•    Robert Devon Nicholson Bell, Jr., 19, of Antioch, Calif., is alleged to have participated in at least two armed robberies of letter carriers, one in Antioch and one in San Francisco. Allegations in the criminal complaint filed against the defendant describe Bell’s use of mail keys to steal mail from blue mailboxes. According to a criminal complaint, Bell was found in Antioch in possession of robbed postal keys, a substantial quantity of stolen mail, a fraudulent USPS ID with his picture, and stolen and counterfeit checks. He now faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison for the unlawful possession of the postal key, as well as 25 years for each of the armed robberies. (Case No. 23-mj-71439 MAG)

•    Anthony Medina, 42, of American Canyon, Calif., is alleged to have unlawfully possessed seven mail keys. According to the complaint, officers with the San Francisco Police Department were attempting to perform a traffic stop when the defendant attempted to flee. Officers arrested the defendant and, in addition to the keys, defendant is alleged to have possessed credit cards in the names of other individuals, images of suspected stolen mail, and access codes for an apartment complex in San Francisco. Medina now faces 10 years in prison for each violation of 18 U.S.C. section 1704—the unlawful possession of the postal keys, as well as possible prosecution for unlawful possession of mail and credit cards. (Case No. 23-mj-71443 MAG)

•    Derek Hopson, 33, of Oakland, Calif., is alleged to have stolen mail and postal keys in two separate incidents that occurred in June of 2023. The complaint alleges the San Francisco Police Department responded to a burglary in progress at a residence in the Mission District of San Francisco when officers encountered the defendant in possession of several postal keys. Hopson also allegedly used a mailbox key to gain access to mailboxes at a residential complex in the Presidio of San Francisco. He now faces a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison for violating 18 U.S.C. sections 1704 and 1706. (Case No. 23-mj-71403 MAG)

Indictments and criminal complaints merely allege that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Further, in addition to the prison terms described, as part of any sentence following conviction the court may order defendants to serve an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term, additional fines, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The prosecution of these cases are the result of investigations by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

By BART

Friday, Oct. 6 – This promises to be a busy weekend in the skies over the Bay Area as Fleet Week is back in San Francisco. BART is ready to help you get to the prime viewing locations for the air show.

BART is welcoming Fleet Week by offering longer and more frequent trains at night and on weekends throughout the festivities. This is the first Fleet Week that will benefit from BART’s reimagined schedule that was launched last month. Now riders will wait no more than 20 minutes on a station platform for a scheduled train. We are using only Fleet of the Future trains to fulfill our basic service plan so riders will enjoy a cleaner and safer BART experience. Many lines that have been served by 6-car trains will instead feature 8-car trains as we expand our capacity for riders going to Fleet Week. 

Saturday, Oct. 7: California Golden Bears vs Oregon State University Beavers at Memorial Stadium

There’s a great matchup at Memorial Stadium Saturday as Cal hosts the 15th ranked Oregon State University Beavers. It’s the Bears’ Homecoming game so a big crowd is expected. Kickoff is at 7pm. The Bears need only three more wins to become bowl eligible. BART is the best way to get to the game. In addition to our increased weekend service and the longer trains we’re running for Fleet Week, we’ll stage an event train to expand our capacity for fans. 

Happy Riding this Weekend!     

We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains. For an in-depth listing of local events, visit the BARTable website. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and Instagram.  
 

An Evening with David Arkenstone & Friends with stops in Weaverville, Lakeport, Cloverdale, Sonoma and Berkeley on the Pacific Northwest Tour 2023

“David Arkenstone & Friends was one of the best shows of the year!” WOW Hall in Eugene, Oregon

From his first Grammy® nomination in 1992 through his latest Grammy® nomination in 2022, David Arkenstone’s music has become the soundtrack to our lives with unforgettable NBC Sports themes such as The Kentucky Derby to epic gaming music for World of Warcraft and Emperor: Battle for Dune, from Music Inspired by Middle Earth to area music as you stroll through Epcot at DisneyWorld. His September-October tour brings a lively candlelit evening of music blending neo-classical piano, new age, Celtic, progressive rock, orchestral, and world music to Northern California. With over 100 million Spotify streams and 60+ CDs, David’s music holds something for everyone, taking concertgoers on a wondrous musical journey from first note to last. (See his discography)

Joined on stage by virtuoso musicians Kimberly Zaleski (flute), Laurann Angel (violin), Cecilia Caughman (cello), and Josh Gilgoff (percussion), David has plenty of surprises in store and will debut songs from his newest release. Since his first album in 1987, the acclaimed Valley in the Clouds, this musical visionary continues to create distinctive tracks that inspire the imagination. David enjoys touring and meeting his fans from around the world.

“I think the attraction to come to one of my shows is the amount of different kinds of music you will hear and the high caliber of talent you will be presented with. There’s something for everybody. People have told me that it looks like we’re having the best time of our lives during the concert. It spills over the stage into the audience. After the show to be able to meet the people that have shared the music, I’m so grateful,” said David.

A musical storyteller, he is passionate about taking listeners on a journey, creating sonic tapestries that evoke every emotion. His music has been described as “soundtracks for the imagination”.

“I envision a place where I would like to go, or an adventure I would like to take, and let my imagination run free,” he shared. “I’ve gotten countless messages from listeners who love to take these journeys with me. I’m sometimes surprised by how powerfully people in so many age groups respond to my music.”

According to his Wikipedia page, “After moving from Chicago to California at the age of ten, David was involved in various high school bands playing guitars and keyboards, playing baseball in his spare time. He studied music in college and started a progressive rock band named after himself, but he soon discovered his own musical voice in the instrumental genre.” Listen to samples of his music on David’s YouTube Channel.

Tickets are on sale now for An Evening with David Arkenstone & Friends! The tour will include the following stops:

9/22 Monroe WA – Wagner Performing Arts Center

9/23 Victoria BC – Phillip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria School of Music

9/24 Victoria BC – First Unitarian Church of Victoria

9/26 Maple Ridge BC – ACT Arts Centre

9/27 Vancouver BC – The York

9/28 Tacoma WA – McMenamins Elks Temple w/Special Guest Pinniped

9/29 Portland OR – Stage 722 w/Special Guest Chasing Ebenezer

9/30 Eugene OR – WOW Hall

10/1 Roseburg OR – The SunnySide Theatre

10/3 Coos Bay OR – The Dolphin Playhouse

10/4 Ashland OR – Jackson WellSprings

10/5 Weaverville CA – Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center

10/6 Lakeport CA – Soper Reese Community Theatre

10/7 Cloverdale CA – Cloverdale Performing Arts Center

10/8 Sonoma CA – Sebastiani Theatre

10/10 Berkeley CA – Freight & Salvage (live concert and live stream)

Tickets are on sale now for the Pacific Northwest Tour 2023 of An Evening with David Arkenstone & Friends at davidarkenstone.com or linktr.ee/davidarkenstone.

By Antonia Ehlers, PR & Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Kaiser Permanente is the largest union-represented health care employer in the U.S. – with nearly 75 percent of our employees represented by unions. We are currently bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 88,000 employees in a variety of roles. The Coalition is part of our historic, 26-year-long Labor Management Partnership, the longest-lasting partnership of its kind in the country.

Kaiser Permanente is fully committed to reaching an agreement with the unions affiliated with the Coalition just as we have done in every national bargaining since 1999. Our priority is to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial and ensures we can continue to offer our people market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits. We are confident that we will reach an agreement that achieves that goal, before the contract expires on September 30. And we are confident that our new agreement will strengthen our position as a best place to work and ensure the high-quality care our members expect from us remains affordable and easy to access.

Strike Authorization Vote

Strike authorizations are a common bargaining pressure tactic that give union leaders the ability to call for a strike in the future. Throughout our negotiations we have seen Coalition leaders attempt to rally their unions’ members to threaten a strike despite important progress made through negotiations.

This tactic does not reflect any breakdown in bargaining, nor does it indicate a strike is imminent or will happen at all. It is a disappointing action considering our progress at the bargaining table. It does not reflect our commitment to reaching an agreement that ensures we can continue to provide market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits.

We urge our employees to reject any call for a strike and continue to focus on providing care and service to the patients who need them. We take any threat to disrupt care for our members seriously and have plans to ensure continued access to health care by our members, patients, and the communities we serve, should any union call for a strike. Our members, patients, and our communities need us to be there for them.

Allegations of Unfair Labor Practices

From the start, we have bargained in good faith to come to an agreement, working diligently in partnership to address the many complex issues at the table. This week, over the course of our sixth formal negotiation session since national bargaining began in April, we offered proposals on important issues including improvements to the performance sharing bonus plan (PSP) and an enterprise-wide guaranteed minimum wage for our Coalition-represented employees. In addition, committees met on staffing, operational savings, and local bargaining agreements.

As always, one of the key issues in this bargaining involves compensation and Kaiser Permanente has made clear we are standing by our proven commitment to provide market-competitive wages and excellent benefits. In fact, as a leading employer, our philosophy is to pay our employees above the local market, to attract and retain the best employees.

Bargaining is dynamic and involves give-and-take. Accusations from union leaders that Kaiser Permanente has not bargained in good faith are unfounded and counterproductive.

We take bargaining seriously and believe that our employees deserve market competitive wages and excellent benefits. We are hopeful union leaders will set aside the counterproductive tactics of this week, so we can focus on working together to deliver an agreement. We remain committed to bargaining with our Coalition unions in good faith and in the spirit of partnership. We will focus our energy on frank and productive discussions that lead to an agreement, and to doing our part to ensure there are no disruptions to the high-quality care we provide.

Staffing

We, like all health care organizations, have experienced staffing challenges driven by the pandemic and its lasting effects. For healthcare systems this has been made worse by the backlog in care and the increase in needs and acuity we’re seeing across the country.

While Kaiser Permanente has experienced the same pressures, through diligent work and an unwavering commitment to our people, we have weathered these staffing challenges better than most health care organizations. Kaiser Permanente’s average employee turnover rate of 8.5 percent, as of June 2023, is significantly lower than the rate of 21.4 percent across health care. Talented people who recognize the value of our current wage and benefit offerings want to work at Kaiser Permanente, which is why about 96 percent of candidates for Coalition-represented positions accept our employment offers—significantly above the industry average.

Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition have agreed to work together to accelerate hiring, and we set a joint goal in bargaining of hiring 10,000 new people for Coalition-represented jobs in 2023. Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to date have resulted in more than 6,500 positions filled, and we are aggressively recruiting to fill more.

Our staffing approach reflects our shared commitment to ensure every Kaiser Permanente patient receives extraordinary care, every time and in every place.

Wages and Benefits

We are leaders in employee wages and benefits, and we have reiterated our commitment in bargaining to continuing to provide market-competitive wages and outstanding benefits. In fact, our philosophy is to deliver compensation that provides wages above the local market (up to 10 percent above market) to attract and retain the best employees.

Kaiser Permanente also offers employees opportunities to learn new skills and grow their careers, and we’re committed to providing a safe and equitable work environment. In addition, we want to ensure that we help our employees build long-term economic security with low-cost health insurance, industry-leading retirement plans, and other benefit programs to support their health and well-being.

It’s also worth remembering that during the pandemic, we took extraordinary steps to support and protect our workforce, and to support their mental as well as physical health. We provided $800 million in employee assistance to ensure that front-line employees had access to alternate housing options, special child care grants, and additional paid leave for COVID-19 illness and exposure.

The unions’ current negotiating position is that wage increases should not be market-based. This prevents us from addressing wage disparities that exist in in many of Kaiser Permanente’s markets where, for some jobs, wages are significantly higher than our targeted wage level, and in other cases our employees’ wages are below other competitors in the market, impacting our ability to attract and retain the best people.

While being a best-in-class employer is a fundamental part of who we are, we cannot continue a national approach for determining wages and ignore local market conditions. We also have a responsibility to make health care more affordable for our patients, members, and customers, including government agencies. For many families and businesses, health care costs are increasingly unaffordable, and growing. Wages and benefits make up about half the cost of health care, across the country. We must work together with unions on the critical goal of ensuring that health care remains affordable.

We are committed to our philosophy of providing market-competitive pay and excellent benefits, and we’ve made that clear in bargaining. We are committed to addressing areas where staffing is challenging, and we are making great progress. And we are committed to doing all this while striving to help health care be more affordable.