28,000 Kaiser Health Workers to Strike in California
In a significant labor action, 28,000 Kaiser health workers in California are set to strike. This includes nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare personnel. The strike is part of an effort to negotiate a new labor contract with Kaiser Permanente.
Details of the Strike
The strike will commence tomorrow and is expected to be open-ended. It involves a total of 31,000 workers across California and Hawaii, with the majority located in California.
Core Issues
Negotiations between Kaiser and the United Nurses Associations of California & the Union of Health Care Professionals have been ongoing for several months. Key issues at the heart of these talks include:
- Wage increases for nurses and healthcare workers
- Staffing shortages impacting patient care
- Retirement benefits for employees
Peter Sidhu, Executive Vice President of UNAC/UCHP, emphasized the pressing concerns regarding staff shortages, wages, and working conditions. He noted, “We will have the largest open-ended healthcare strike in U.S. history.”
Picketing Locations
Picketing will take place at 12 Kaiser medical facilities located in various California communities, including:
- Anaheim
- Baldwin Park
- Downey
- Fontana
- Irvine
- Los Angeles
- Ontario
- Riverside
- Harbor City
- Panorama City
- West Los Angeles
- Woodland Hills
Kaiser’s Response
Despite the strike, Kaiser Permanente has asserted that their hospitals and medical offices will remain operational. However, some pharmacy services may be temporarily closed during this period.
This strike represents a pivotal moment in labor relations within the healthcare sector and highlights ongoing challenges faced by healthcare workers in California.
