Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care professionals in the city of Riverside are expected to be part of a 31,000-person unfair labor practices strike at facilities in California and Hawaii starting Monday.
The nurses at Riverside Medical Center, at 10800 Magnolia Ave., are members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and promise to stay out until a fair contract agreement is reached. Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and promise to stay out until a fair contract agreement is reached. UNAC/UHCP members include registered nurses, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician assistants, rehab therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians and other specialty health care professionals.
The strike was set to begin at 7 a.m. Monday, local time.
“We’re not going on strike to make noise,” said Charmaine S. Morales, RN, President of UNAC/UHCP. “We’re striking because Kaiser has committed serious unfair labor practices and because Kaiser refuses to bargain in good faith over staffing that protects patients, workload standards that stop moral injury, and the respect and dignity that Kaiser caregivers have been denied for far too long.
“Striking is the lawful power of working people, and we are prepared to use it on behalf of our profession and patients,” Morales said.
Workers on the picket lines will focus on the what they say is a growing crisis caused by Kaiser’s failure to invest in safe staffing levels, timely access to quality care and fair wages for frontline caregivers.
The union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Kaiser with the National Labor Relations Board alleging the company walked away from the bargaining table in December and has attempted to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining process. The union had been bargaining with Kaiser since last May.
Picket lines will also go up at Kaiser hospitals and clinics in Northern California, Central California, and Los Angeles, Orange San Bernardino and San Diego counties and Hawaii.
A statement released by Kaiser Permanente said it has plans to ensure members and patients receive safe, high-quality care.
“Our focus remains on reaching agreements that recognize the vital contributions of our employees while ensuring excellent, affordable care. We have proposed 21.5% wage increases — our strongest national bargaining offer ever — and we are prepared to close agreements at local tables now. Employees deserve their raises, and patients deserve our full attention, not prolonged disputes.