Kaiser Permanente Workers Continue Largest U.S. Healthcare Strike
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in Southern California and across the country are participating in the largest strike of its kind in U.S. history. The three-day walkout, organized by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, began on Wednesday and seeks to address issues such as higher wages, increased staffing, and improved working conditions.
The strike, involving an estimated 75,000 Kaiser workers, began at 6 a.m. on Wednesday in California and three hours earlier on the East Coast. It has gained support in various states such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions accuses Kaiser of unfair labor practices, including bad-faith negotiating and inadequate staffing levels. Workers are concerned that these conditions result in long wait times, misdiagnoses, and neglect. They are calling on management to prioritize safe staffing levels, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and chronic understaffing.
The union also alleges that Kaiser has cut performance bonuses for employees, failed to protect them against subcontracting, and offered wages that do not keep up with inflation. In response, Kaiser has denied these claims and maintains that it has made significant efforts to reach a settlement.
Negotiations took place over the weekend and continued through Monday, Tuesday, and into Wednesday, with no agreement reached. The union coalition has expressed its readiness to meet at any time to discuss key priorities, including safe staffing, outsourcing protections, and fair wages to reduce turnover. However, as of Thursday morning, no new bargaining sessions had been scheduled.
In a statement, Kaiser officials acknowledged that the marathon bargaining sessions resulted in several tentative agreements. The company’s latest offers include across-the-board wage increases over four years, an improved Performance Sharing Plan, minimum wages of $23 an hour in California, and renewal of tuition assistance and training programs. Kaiser also emphasized its commitment to hiring, having already exceeded its goal of hiring 10,000 new union-represented employees this year.
While inflation and rising expenses have presented challenges for Kaiser, the health care system remains committed to providing market-leading wages, excellent benefits, and professional development opportunities to its employees.
The strike continues as Kaiser workers rally for their demands to be met. Frontline health care workers are united in their call for safe staffing and fair treatment. The impact of this strike on the U.S. health care system and negotiations with Kaiser remains to be seen.
