Kaiser braces for strike that could see 100,000 workers walk off job

Kaiser Permanente is bracing for a perchance crippling onslaught arsenic astir 27,000 Southern California workers program to locomotion disconnected the occupation Monday, Nov. 15 successful protestation of understaffing and wage cuts for caller hires they accidental volition worsen the problem.

The Alliance of Health Care Unions, which represents much than 30,000 Kaiser employees successful California and Oregon, precocious gave absorption a 10-day announcement of their intent to locomotion retired unless the 2 sides scope a labour agreement.

They’ve since gained enactment from thousands of different national members, which could bump the  full to astir 100,000 walkouts.

Employees with SEIU-UHW, which represents 58,000 Kaiser employees statewide including 22,000 locally, began voting this week to authorize a one-day “sympathy strike” connected Thursday, Nov. 18 successful solidarity with 21,000 nurses and others from United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP).

Kaiser, based successful Oakland, said successful messages to its members Friday that it is doing everything it tin to support hospitals and exigency and urgent attraction departments unfastened passim immoderate national activity. 

A wide footprint

Monday’s onslaught volition impact 366 Southern California hospitals and aesculapian centers successful Anaheim, the Antelope Valley, Baldwin Park, Downey, Fontana, Harbor City, Irvine, Los Angeles, Ontario, Panorama City, Riverside, San Diego, West Los Angeles and Woodland Hills.

Workers ranging from nurses, pharmacists and doc assistants, to occupational therapists, assignment clerks and biology work employees, program to participate. They are protesting Kaiser’s program to instrumentality a two-tier wage strategy that would little wage for incoming and aboriginal healthcare workers.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 10: Kaiser Permanente national workers clasp connected onslaught signs during an informational picket extracurricular of the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center connected November 10, 2021 successful San Francisco, California. Kaiser Permanente nurses and workers are staging informational pickets crossed California arsenic thousands of Kaiser workers are preparing to onslaught for higher wages and safer moving conditions. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

UNAC/UHCP President Denise Duncan said the unions reason the two-tier package, arsenic it would hamper Kaiser’s quality to hire, enlistee and clasp employees during a terrible shortage of nurses and different healthcare workers.

In addressing the plan, Kaiser said the healthcare scenery is changing and the institution risks losing crushed successful its quality to supply affordable attraction and competitory pricing.

“Looking ahead, we simply indispensable trim expenses to stay competitory agelong term,” Kaiser said. “Our wages and benefits correspond much than 50% of our wide outgo structure.”

Keeping operations going

In a connection to members, Kaiser explained however it volition displacement workloads and cancel immoderate appointments to guarantee it remains operational.

“We are actively coordinating with assemblage hospitals and different needed objective providers to assistance with diligent needs,” the healthcare elephantine said. “If you request care, visit kp.org/getcare oregon usage our mobile app, wherever you’ll beryllium capable to entree each your attraction options.”

Kaiser is moving immoderate on-site appointments to telephone oregon video visits, portion different appointments, elective surgeries and non-urgent needs person been rescheduled oregon canceled.

“We’ll interaction you successful beforehand if determination are changes to your appointments,” the healthcare supplier said. “We apologize for immoderate inconvenience.”

If a walkout occurs, Kaiser said its pharmacies volition beryllium temporarily closed, though prescriptions could beryllium filled done its mail-order transportation service.

Kaiser Permanente is bracing for a onslaught involving astir nearly 27,000 Southern California workers who program to locomotion disconnected the occupation opening Monday, Nov. 15 to protestation understaffing and wage cuts for caller hires that they accidental volition worsen the problem. (File photo)

Wage hikes for existing workers

Kaiser precocious offered Alliance leaders an updated connection the institution said would springiness workers arsenic overmuch arsenic 4% a twelvemonth successful wage increases, with nary takeaways to their benefits and status programs.

It would supply the imaginable for 2% wage increases positive a 2% currency payout each twelvemonth of a four-year contract.

A national typical said the currency payout would beryllium taxable, which means the full yearly bundle wouldn’t really magnitude to a 4% wage increase.

The 2 sides are bargaining each day, helium said, but it doesn’t look a solution volition beryllium reached earlier Monday.