Thousands of healthcare workers march down Vermont to call for the urgent need for improved working conditions, better support systems, and increased investment in the healthcare workforce at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in Hollywood on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, in Los Angeles, CA.
Dania Maxwell | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
Over 75,000 workers at the largest nonprofit health-care provider in the United States have threatened to strike if an agreement is not reached to resolve a staffing crisis by the end of next week.
A union coalition has warned Kaiser Permanente that its members will walk out for three days in October at hundreds of health facilities across California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Virginia, and Washington D.C., if a deal is not reached to alleviate the issue.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions issued the ultimatum after their final bargaining session concluded without apparent resolution.
The unions have stated that they will go on strike from Oct. 4 to 6 if an agreement is not reached when their current contract expires on Sept. 30.
Kaiser Permanente serves nearly 13 million patients, operating 39 hospitals and over 600 medical offices across eight states and the District of Columbia.
Dave Regan, president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, has stated that Kaiser has failed to adequately address a staffing crisis that has resulted in dangerous wait times for patients.
“Kaiser executives refuse to acknowledge how much patient care has deteriorated or how much the frontline healthcare workforce and patients are suffering because of the Kaiser short-staffing crisis,” Regan said in a statement.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions includes medical assistants, surgical and lab technicians, pharmacists, and administrative staff, among other healthcare workers. Several unions voted overwhelmingly to authorize strikes at Kaiser last week.
Kaiser has criticized the unions’ claims as misleading and has urged employees to resist the call for a strike.
“The Coalition unions are prepared to strike in October. However, over the past 26 years of our historic labor-management partnership, we have always reached agreements with the Coalition, without any strikes. A strike notice does not guarantee a strike,” Kaiser said in a statement.
“Our main priority is caring for our members and patients, and we have plans in place to ensure we can continue to deliver high-quality care should a strike actually occur,” Kaiser said. “To clarify, we will continue to negotiate in good faith until we reach a fair and equitable agreement that strengthens our position as a great place to work and ensures accessible and affordable high-quality care for our members.”
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