Healthcare workers to join 5-day strike, Kaiser Permanente releases statement

(FOX40.COM) — The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals announced that registered nurses and health care professionals at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California and Hawaii will go on the largest strike in UNAC/UHCP history on Tuesday.

Video Above: Kaiser Permanente issues statement on nurses picket

The strike is set to begin at 7 a.m. on Oct. 14 and end at 7 a.m. on Oct. 19.

Union officials said that around 31,000 health care workers from over 200 Kaiser facilities will be striking to “protect the future of patient care,” according to UNAC/UHCP officials.

UNAC/UHCP released this statement in an email:

“For decades, union workers have been the backbone of Kaiser — partnering to improve patient care, raising standards, and helping earn many of the accolades Kaiser touts today. They are the professionals who deliver care at the bedside, in clinics, in pharmacies, and in patients’ homes.

But Kaiser is now on a dangerous path. Stagnant wages and unsafe staffing threaten both the workforce and the high-quality care patients depend on. Kaiser currently holds $66 billion in reserves — much of it accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when frontline caregivers sacrificed their health, families, and, in some cases, their lives.

Yet today, Kaiser resists fair pay and refuses to fix staffing, even as it pours money into expansion projects in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and North Carolina. Without solving its staffing missteps at home, these expansions risk leaving current health plan members facing delays in appointments, treatment, and recovery.”

Multiple picket locations will also be in California on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The strike follows a one-day health care workers’ strike on Sept. 8 and an informational picket on Sept. 23.

Meanwhile, officials with Kaiser Permanente released a statement that said they have been in negotiations with the Alliance of Health Care Unions to reach new agreements, however, the remaining dispute is about wages.

Kaiser Permanente shared this statement with FOX40:

The Alliance’s campaign uses strong language, pickets, and strike threats to rally support. They say their goal is to protect patients by ensuring better care and staffing, but the real issue is wages— they are demanding significantly higher increases than our 21.5% offer. Their claims about Kaiser Permanente’s quality and staffing don’t reflect the facts. Alliance-represented employees work closely with us every day in teams focused on improving care. Our nationally recognized integrated care model consistently delivers better health outcomes. Recently, the National Committee for Quality Assurance rated our private and Medicare plans highest—or tied for highest—in every region we serve. For the third straight year, our health plans are the only ones in the state to earn 5-star ratings from the California Office of the Patient Advocate. Additionally, 38 of our hospitals were named “high performing” by U.S. News & World Report across multiple specialties. Kaiser Permanente meets—and often exceeds—California’s mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and staffing standards. We continue to hire, adding over 6,300 new employees in 2024, including nearly 4,700 in care delivery and more than 1,600 in Alliance-represented roles.

Kaiser officials said they respect the Alliance and value the care the members provide to Kaiser patients and have attempted to achieve an agreement.

“A strike is unnecessary when a generous offer is on the table. It is designed to disrupt the lives of our patients—the very people we are all here to serve,” Kaiser said. “Since May, we’ve worked to reach new national and local agreements—achieving 52 tentative agreements, holding over 900 local bargaining sessions, and reaching comprehensive agreements at 17 of 54 local tables. We’ve enhanced proposals, initiated mediation, and extended bargaining. Even after receiving 10-day strike notices, we continued negotiating, seeking agreement.”

They claim that there had been “little meaningful” progress made in finding an agreement.

Kaiser reassured the community that they have been actively preparing for the five-day strike to ensure that their members continue to receive care. The medical offices and hospitals will remain open with same-day care available through the Kaiser app, officials said.

Officials are informing patients that there may be appointment rescheduling, elective surgeries, and procedures and in-person appointments shifted to virtual appointments.

“We are onboarding up to 7,600 nurses, clinicians, and other staff to work during the strike, the majority of whom have worked at Kaiser Permanente before. In addition, more than 1,000 of our employees have volunteered to be reassigned to work in strike locations,” officials said. “We remain committed to bargaining in good faith for a fair agreement that balances fair pay with high-quality, affordable care. We will continue providing the care our members rely on while honoring employees and protecting patients.”