NUHW #kaisermentalhealth strike starts now! http://t.co/sXdndsbMOd pic.twitter.com/cMQl9BXIUO
— NUHW.org (@NUHW) January 12, 2015
Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers began a weeklong statewide strike Monday to protest what they say is Kaiser’s “chronic failure to provide … quality mental health care.”
According to the union, picketing will take place Monday around the state, including at the following Southern California locations:
— West Los Angeles Medical Center, 6041 Cadillac Ave., West Los Angeles;
— Anaheim Medical Center, 3440 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim;
— San Diego Medical Center, 4647 Zion Ave., San Diego; and
— Fontana Medical Center, 9961 Sierra Ave., Fontana.
“Kaiser Permanente’s 2,600 California mental health clinicians — psychologists, therapists, and social workers represented by the (NUHW) — will launch a statewide strike (Monday) to protest Kaiser’s chronic failure to provide its members with timely, quality mental health care,” the union said in a statement.
“Kaiser staff will be on 65 picket lines at more than 35 locations throughout the scheduled weeklong strike,” the union said.
Picketing began Monday morning, the union said.
A prominent Kaiser Permanente ad appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Monday, warning that news about the strike may sound “like Kaiser Permanente medical offices aren’t open, or that we aren’t ready to serve your health care needs.
“You should know these misperceptions are being generated by a very small California union, which represents a very small number of Kaiser Permanente employees, and is calling on them to walk picket lines this week.”
— City News Service