MARTIN ESPINOZA
Oct 4, 2023
Hundreds of medical workers began picketing at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center Wednesday morning, joining tens of thousands of others in multiple states in what is expected to be the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history.
Hundreds of medical workers began picketing at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center at 6 a.m. Wednesday, joining tens of thousands of others in multiple states in what is expected to be the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history.
The statewide strike impacts roughly 1,800 Sonoma County workers represented by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, one of the unions involved in the planned three-day walkout.
Across seven states, including Oregon, Washington and Colorado, some 75,000 workers are expected to walk off the job, most of those in California.
Kaiser workers say they’re striking to protest chronic understaffing that both threatens patient safety and timely medical care. They’re also calling for higher wages, including a minimum wage of $25.
Kaiser says it is trying to reach a “fair and equitable” agreement that ensures high quality, accessible care at an affordable cost, which the provider said is something its members have come to expect.
Kaiser workers at Santa Rosa Medical Center picketing emergency access on Mendocino Boulevard to prevent scab workers from entering, have been warned by police not to block entry to vehicles due to potential accident on roadway. Police saying arrests will be made otherwise. pic.twitter.com/MSF5npp8du— Martin Espinoza (@pressreno) October 4, 2023
In Sonoma County, SEIU-UHW represents a wide variety of health care workers, including licensed vocational nurses, medical assistants, front desk clerical staff, lab technicians, housekeeping workers, imaging staff, emergency department technicians and staff that assist nurses and walk, feed and bathe patients.
The labor dispute comes only days after the workers’ current four-year contract ended on Sept. 30. Labor negotiations have been taking place over the past few months.
SEIU-UHW is the largest union in the coalition with 59,000 Kaiser workers in California.
Of the 1,850 Kaiser employees represented by SEIU-UHW in Sonoma County, about 150 work in Petaluma and 1,700 in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park. The union also represents 200 employees in Napa, 1,500 in Vallejo, 75 in Novato, 880 in San Rafael and 650 in Richmond.
Union representatives said they want Kaiser to take more aggressive steps to deal with current staffing shortages. That includes paying wages that keep up with the rising cost of living, union officials said.
Kaiser says it is trying to reach a “fair and equitable” agreement that ensures high quality, accessible care at an affordable cost, which the provider said is something its members have come to expect.
Late Tuesday afternoon, union officials said the ball now rests in Kaiser’s hands. Caroline Lucas, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, said as much in a statement.
“With hours left before our strike, both management and union negotiators are on standby waiting for Kaiser executives to resolve their internal debate about whether to do what it takes to reach an agreement or force the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history,” Lucas said.
“Bargaining between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions is ongoing, and several agreements over specific provisions have been reached,” Kaiser Permanente said in a emailed statement Tuesday night.
“Our team is available 24/7 to continue bargaining with the Coalition until we reach a fair and equitable agreement. We remain optimistic that there is still time to find agreement before any of the work stoppages called by the Coalition unions begin at 6am on Wednesday.”
During the strike, Kaiser said it would take the following steps:
* Using physicians, trained managers and in some cases “contingent workers” to keep some facilities running.
* Giving urgent medical cases top priority, which could require scheduling changes for Kaiser members and patients with nonemergency issues.
* Partnering with non-Kaiser pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens, during the strike to mitigate closure of outpatient pharmacies. Inpatient pharmacies serving Kaiser hospitals will remain open.
Kaiser said some outpatient pharmacies, if they don’t close, will operate with reduced hours. Physicians and pharmacy representatives on-site and in pharmacy call centers will work with patients to get the medications they need during the strike, Kaiser officials said.
They’ll also provide instructions to access retail pharmacies if necessary, Kaiser said Tuesday. Kaiser strongly encouraged members to use its pharmacy mail-order delivery service.
This is a developing story. Check back here for more updates.