Kaiser Permanente healthcare strike could disrupt vaccine and prescription access

The Kaiser strike is expected to span three days, as healthcare workers join picket lines across the country to protest staffing shortages

75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers are officially on strike

The largest health worker strike went into effect on Wednesday morning, as an agreement between 75,000 healthcare workers and Kaiser Permanente hospitals has yet to be reached.

The strike began on 4 October at 6am PT as the workers — nurses, radiology technicians, pharmacists, sonographers and others — are striking “to protest unfair labor practices and unsafe staffing levels,” according to the latest release from SEIU-UHW, a union that is part of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.

The strike will take place across the country in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia and Washington DC and is expected to last three days.

The strike comes after failed negotiations following the workers’ contract expiring on 30 September.

Early on Wednesday, Kaiser Permanente also issued a statement on the progress, saying the two parties are “still at the bargaining table, having worked through the night in an effort to reach an agreement. There has been a lot of progress, with agreements reached on several specific proposals late Tuesday.”

But the coalition was singing to a different tune. “No agreement can be made until Kaiser executives stop bargaining in bad faith and committing unfair labor practices,” said, Caroline Lucas, executive director of the coalition.

The jury is still out on the exact effects the walkout has on patient care, although reports predict vaccine access, prescriptions being filled, and lab testing could be disrupted.

Key Points

• What is the strike about?
• Who is going on strike at Kaiser Permanente?
• When is the Kaiser strike and when does it end?

[5 October 2023 10:00 · Kelly Rissman]

What is Kaiser saying?

In terms of the ongoing negotiations, Kaiser said in an early morning Wednesday statement: “Both Kaiser Permanente management and Coalition union representatives are still at the bargaining table, having worked through the night in an effort to reach an agreement. There has been a lot of progress, with agreements reached on several specific proposals late Tuesday.”

The hospital system also specifically addressed the hiring shortage on Monday. Kaiser said, “Despite the acute shortage of healthcare workers nationally, we have been able to hire more than 50,000 frontline employees in the last two years: 29,000 people in 2022, and another 22,000 so far this year.”

In April, Kaiser and the coalition agreed to a goal of hiring 10,000 new people for jobs represented by the coalition by the end of the year; Kaiser said it expects to reach that goal by the end of October.

Addressing the wage increases, the hospital system said that its current offer includes across-the-board wage increases from 12.5 to 16 per cent over four years. The proposed minimum wage would start at $21 in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and DC and $23 in California, with an increase over the next four years of the contract.

[5 October 2023 11:00 · Kelly Rissman]

WATCH: healthcare workers striking outside of a Kaiser Permanente facility

[5 October 2023 12:00 · Kelly Rissman]

When and where is the strike happening?

The strike began at 6am PT on Wednesday, with workers striking in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington DC.

Both sides predicted a three-day strike, from 4 October to 7 October.

However, one frontline worker who is in the bargaining discussions told The Independent that the coalition authorised a strike up to 14 days.

[5 October 2023 13:00 · Kelly Rissman]

Who is going on strike at Kaiser Permanente?

Healthcare workers employed at Kaiser Permanente facilities represented by unions. According to the coaltion, some of the jobs affected by the strike include:

• licensed vocational nurses
• emergency department technicians
• radiology technicians
• ultrasound sonographers
• teleservice representatives
• respiratory therapists
• x-ray technicians
• optometrists
• certified nursing assistants
• behavioral health workers
• surgical technicians
• pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
• home health aides
• phlebotomists
• medical assistants
• dental assistants

[5 October 2023 14:00 · Kelly Rissman]

Colorado State Rep voices support for those striking in his state

[5 October 2023 14:30 · Kelly Rissman]

Day 2 of the strike continues

After picket lines plagued the country yesterday, as the largest health care worker strike in the nation’s history went into effect, no agreement was reached between the coalition and Kaiser as of Wednesday morning.

[5 October 2023 15:00 · Kelly Rissman]

Tuesday evening statement from Caroline Lucas, spokesperson for the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions

Frontline healthcare workers are awaiting a meaningful response from Kaiser executives regarding some of our key priorities including safe staffing, outsourcing protections for incumbent healthcare workers, and fair wages to reduce turnover.

Healthcare workers within the coalition remain ready to meet at any time. Currently, the strike continues, and there are no sessions scheduled at this hour.

[5 October 2023 15:30 · Kelly Rissman]

Kaiser says they have made ‘tentative agreements’ with the coalition

Late on Tuesday, Kaiser Permanente sent out a statement saying it had made a few potential agreements in bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. Here’s what they look like:

• Across-the-board wage increases in all markets over the next four years.
• Updating the Performance Sharing Plan to include a minimum payout opportunity and potential for up to a $3,750 payout.
• Offering minimum wages of $23/hour in California and $21/hour in markets outside of California.
• Continuing and enhancing our existing excellent health benefits and retirement income plans.
• Renewing our strong tuition assistance and training programs, and increasing funding of the education trusts.

[5 October 2023 16:35 · Kelly Rissman]

California Rep Adam Schiff voiced support for the healthcare workers

[5 October 2023 16:45 · Kelly Rissman]

Oregon State Rep joined the picket lines