Thousands of unionized registered nurses and healthcare professionals at Kaiser Permanente are set to begin a five-day strike on Tuesday as contract negotiations remain unresolved.
Workers represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals will start picketing at 7 a.m. at various locations, including the Kaiser South Bay Medical Center in Harbor City, Kaiser Woodland Hills Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley, and Kaiser Baldwin Park Medical Center in South Los Angeles.
The strike will impact a wide array of healthcare workers, including registered nurses, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician assistants, rehab therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians, and other specialty healthcare professionals.
In anticipation of the strike, Kaiser Permanente has outlined contingency plans to maintain services during this period.
The company assures that hospitals and medical offices will stay open, with many appointments shifted to virtual care options such as phone, video consultations, and e-chats.
However, some health appointments, elective surgeries, and procedures may be rescheduled.
Kaiser has committed to staffing facilities with physicians, experienced managers, and trained staff, supplementing them with licensed contract professionals as necessary.
Additionally, the health system plans to onboard up to 7,600 nurses, clinicians, and other staff for strike coverage, many of whom have previously worked with the organization.
More than 1,000 employees have also volunteered to be reassigned to assist at strike locations.
Kaiser members can find updates on care impacts through the company’s website at kp.org, with normal operations expected to resume after 7 a.m. on Sunday.
In a statement issued before the strike, the union expressed that the decision to strike was not taken lightly.
They emphasized that striking is always a last resort, pursued only after exhausting all other negotiation options.
The union indicated that they have been negotiating in good faith with Kaiser Permanente, including agreeing to mediation after Kaiser requested it in recent weeks, in hopes of reaching a breakthrough.
However, the union claims that despite their best efforts, Kaiser has yet to agree to a contract that aligns with the essential needs of the frontline healthcare professionals they represent.
The union stated, “We’re speaking up for better care.”
In response, Kaiser Permanente has affirmed their commitment to reach a fair agreement that balances employee compensation with the provision of high-quality, affordable care.
The company has been engaged in negotiations with the Alliance of Health Care Unions since May to develop new agreements that will support approximately 61,000 employees.
At the heart of the negotiations appears to be a dispute over wages.
Kaiser has reported that its employees represented by the Alliance earn, on average, 16% more than their counterparts at other healthcare facilities.
Kaiser’s latest offer includes a pay increase of 21.5% over the duration of the four-year contract, along with enhancements to medical and pension benefits, according to the company.
Kaiser stated, “We value every member of our team, and our history of collaboration with labor unions.”
Initially, the Alliance had sought a 38% wage increase over four years, but they have since revised that request to 25%.
Kaiser Permanente, however, has described this figure as not in alignment with current economic realities and rising healthcare costs.
The health system asserts that such a wage increase could significantly boost the company’s $6.3 billion annual payroll, potentially leading to higher rates for patients and customers.
Kaiser explained, “Our 21.5% offer will increase payroll for this group by nearly $2 billion in total by 2029.
Anything beyond this would necessitate further rate hikes for our members and customers at a time when healthcare costs are increasingly unaffordable for many, thereby forcing difficult decisions about coverage.
We have a responsibility to do what is right for our employees as well as for our members and customers.”
On the other hand, the union contends that Kaiser has the financial capacity to meet their demands, citing that the company’s reserves increased from $44 billion in 2021 to $66 billion in 2024, a rise of $22 billion.
The union argues that their request for a 25% wage increase is partly in response to an 18.5% inflation rate increase.
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