Approximately 60,000 unionized health care workers at Kaiser Permanente in the state of California have stated that they will go on strike on October 4th if an agreement to resolve the current staffing crisis is not reached by the end of next week.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has issued a warning that workers will strike from October 4th to 6th if no deal is finalized before their current contract expires on September 30th.
President of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, Dave Regan, expressed dissatisfaction with Kaiser’s handling of the staffing crisis, which has resulted in dangerous wait times for patients.
Regan stated, “Kaiser executives are failing to acknowledge the declining quality of patient care and the suffering endured by both frontline health care workers and patients due to the staffing crisis at Kaiser. We cannot resolve the patient care crisis unless Kaiser executives follow the law and bargain with health care workers in good faith. It is essential that they take immediate and significant action to address the crisis by investing in their workforce.”
Union officials have claimed that if the strike occurs, it will be the largest health-care strike in U.S. history.
The union has accused Kaiser of several issues, including cutting performance bonuses, failing to protect employees against subcontracting, offering wages that do not keep up with inflation, and falling short in maintaining adequate staffing levels.
In response, Kaiser officials released a statement on Friday expressing confidence that a strike can be avoided before the deadline.
The statement reads, “The Coalition unions have positioned themselves for a strike in October. However, throughout the 26 years of our labor-management partnership, we have always reached agreements with the Coalition, without any strikes occurring. A strike notice does not guarantee that a strike will take place.”
Kaiser emphasized that their main priority is to provide excellent care to their members and patients, and they have plans in place to ensure that high-quality care can still be delivered in the event of a strike. They also reiterated their commitment to bargaining in good faith until a fair and equitable agreement is reached, reinforcing their goal of being an excellent workplace that offers affordable and easily accessible care.
Kaiser noted that they have already filled over 9,700 positions this year as part of their hiring goals, and they continue to actively recruit for more positions.
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