Will Kaiser hospital strikes impact patient care in California? Here’s what we know
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers are striking over stalled labor negotiations, and more are set to join them in the coming days to show their support.
The strikes are largely the result of frustration with Kaiser’s proposed two-tier wage structure unions say would represent a “sell out to future colleagues.”
The majority of the employees striking are located in Southern California or Oregon, but the Sacramento region and other areas of Northern California will be impacted.
Will patients be affected by the Kaiser strikes?
Yes. On Nov. 18, around 40,000 members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 29, and the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20 will strike.
Those striking include optometrists, clinical laboratory scientists, X-ray technicians and housekeepers.
The next day, Nov. 19, around 22,000 registered nurses and 2,000 mental health clinicians will also conduct sympathy strikes. These workers are members of the California Nurses Association and the National Union Healthcare Workers.
Then, on Nov. 22, United Nurses Associations of California and Union of Health Care Professionals union workers in Northern California will also begin a strike, according to a Friday press release. Those workers include 1,350 physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists from Sacramento to Fresno, according to the release.
UNAC/UNHCP workers haven’t gone on strike against Kaiser since 1980.
“Patient care shouldn’t be up for debate,” Roland Lucas, a physical therapist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, who helped organize Northern California therapists and is a member of the team negotiating the first contract, said in a statement.
“Striking is always a health care professional’s last resort, which should underline the severity of the situation. Our patients deserve the best, and we plan to fight for them.”
Kaiser outpatient pharmacies are expected to be closed Nov. 15 to Nov. 22 as a result of the strikes. You can get your medications delivered to your home by visiting kp.org/pharmacy, using the mobile app or calling 1-888-218-6245 (TTY 711) instead. Kaiser will communicate with patients via its website kp.org, said Arlene Peasnall, senior vice president of human resources at Kaiser Permanente.
Peasnall told the Bee the company is prepared to care for patients during the strikes, but “there will be some impact.”
Who else is on strike?
The sympathy strikes that will bring action to the Sacramento area come after more than 700 biomedical and structural engineers took to the picket line in September. Workers conducting the one-day strikes will also join around 35,000 pharmacy workers, nurses, housekeepers, physician assistants and respiratory therapists who will begin striking Monday. The picketing set to begin Monday is open-ended.