A record-breaking vote by nearly 60,000 unionized health care workers in California empowers their union to call for a strike in the event that negotiations with Kaiser Permanente reach an impasse.
The Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West reported that the workers voted overwhelmingly, with a 98% margin, in favor of a potential walkout if a labor contract cannot be successfully negotiated. It’s important to note that this vote does not guarantee a strike, but rather gives the union authority to call for one if they believe talks have reached a standstill.
If a strike were to occur, union officials claim it would be the largest health-care strike in United States history.
In response to this vote, Miriam De La Paz, a Labor and Delivery Unit secretary at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Downey, expressed the frustrations of the workers. She said, “For weeks, Kaiser sent us messages telling us to reject a strike. Their millionaire executives implied we were imagining the delays in care our patients are experiencing and ignored the fact that our families are struggling more and more to keep up with the rising cost of living. Instead, workers are rejecting short staffing and inadequate pay, and we will be going on strike if Kaiser doesn’t stop committing unfair labor practices.”
The union accuses Kaiser of reducing performance bonuses for employees, failing to protect workers against subcontracting, offering wages that do not keep up with inflation, and falling short in maintaining sufficient staffing levels.
Kaiser officials released a statement on Thursday expressing confidence that they will reach an agreement before the national agreement expires on September 30th. They aim to strengthen their position as a top workplace and ensure that their high-quality care remains affordable and accessible.
Kaiser has scheduled two bargaining sessions for next week. They have stated that they are offering “across the board wage increases,” with a minimum wage starting at $21 an hour.
The health care provider denies the union’s allegations, including the cutting of performance bonuses and raising of premiums without consideration for health care costs or improvements in care. Kaiser claims that in Southern California, where wages significantly exceed market levels, they are offering wage increases of 10% over four years plus lump sum bonuses of 4% to ensure fair compensation for their employees.
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