Union sues to stop Kaiser Permanente from moving Colorado nurses' jobs to Georgia

A union representing nurses at Kaiser Permanente Colorado filed a lawsuit to stop the health system from moving nurses' jobs to Georgia, arguing the relocation violates labor agreements and threatens patient care.

The filing by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1091 seeks a temporary restraining order against the transfer, which was announced in early September and set to begin affecting positions later that month. According to the union, the move would relocate dozens of case management and utilization review roles currently based in Colorado to offices in Atlanta and other Georgia locations.

The union contends the transfer breaks provisions in the collective bargaining agreement that require Kaiser to negotiate the effects of job relocation with employees before implementation. Union officials said the shift could force experienced Colorado nurses to either move out of state or leave their jobs, and they said that would erode institutional knowledge that supports local patient care.

Kaiser Permanente said the relocation does not reduce the number of nurses providing direct care in Colorado. Kaiser Permanente said the affected positions are part of a national care services model meant to improve coordination for members across its regions.

The lawsuit asks a federal court to block the transfer while the parties pursue arbitration over the dispute. The union is also seeking back pay and benefits for employees affected by the move.

No hearing date had been scheduled as of the filing. Kaiser said it plans to proceed with the relocation on its original timeline unless ordered otherwise by the court.