Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers began an open-ended strike Oct. 21 at Kaiser Permanente locations in Southern California.
Nine things to know:
1. The union represents about 2,400 mental health workers at Kaiser facilities throughout Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, Orange County and the Inland Empire, according to an NUHW news release shared with Becker's. Kaiser, a 40-hospital system based in Oakland, Calif., has about 222,300 workers total.
2. Union members spent their first day on the picket lines alongside community allies on Oct. 21 outside Los Angeles and San Diego medical centers, according to the NUHW. There were also picket lines in Fontana and Anaheim, though the union said many workers from those sites would take buses to join their colleagues at Los Angeles Medical Center to begin the strike.
3. On Oct. 22, union members will walk picket lines at the following locations, according to the NUHW:
- Riverside Medical Center
- Woodland Hills Medical Center
- Alton/Sand Canyon Medical Offices
- Baldwin Park Medical Center
4. Kaiser told Becker's via a statement that "all Kaiser Permanente members will continue to have timely access to individual therapy appointments during the strike. Patients have the opportunity to be seen by a professional in our extensive network of highly qualified, licensed therapists if their regular provider chooses to take part in the strike. Where necessary, we are contacting patients and offering options that meet their needs."
5. Union members authorized a strike in early October. The union and Kaiser began negotiating a new labor contract in July.
6. During negotiations, Kaiser has offered a proposal that "would further increase wages, more than another 18% over the next four years," the health system said. Kaiser added that its offer "enhances the comprehensive benefits our behavioral health professionals enjoy, such as low copays, no deductible and no employee premium cost sharing."
7. The union contends that during bargaining, Kaiser has refused to agree to a contract that includes the same working conditions as their Northern California mental health worker counterparts and comparable pay and benefits as their colleagues who do not work in mental health.
8. "Kaiser doesn't seem to understand that it can't keep getting away with underfunding and understaffing its mental health services," Elizabeth Meza, a social worker at Kaiser in San Diego, said in a news release. "We're going to be on the picket line day-after-day until we get equal treatment for our patients and ourselves."
9. Contract negotiations are scheduled for Oct. 23 and Oct. 25.