Thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers in the Los Angeles area are expected to be part of a 31,000-person unfair labor practices strike at facilities in California and Hawaii starting Monday.
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, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, as well as in Hawaii.
In Orange and Los Angeles counties, the pickets will be held at:
— Anaheim Medical Center, 3440 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim;
— Downey Medical Center, 9333 Imperial Highway, Downey;
— South Bay Medical Center, 25825 Vermont Ave., Harbor City;
— Los Angeles Medical Center, 4867 Sunset Blvd., in the East Hollywood area of Los Angeles;
— West Los Angeles Medical Center, 6041 Cadillac Ave., in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles;
— Baldwin Park Medical Center, 1011 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park;
— Panorama City Medical Center, 13651 Willard St., Panorama City;
— Woodland Hills Medical Center, 5601 De Soto Ave., Woodland Hills.
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.”
Kaiser has also posted strike guidance for its members on its websites.
“If a strike does happen, our hospitals and medical offices will stay open.” it states. “Some pharmacies would close. We have robust plans in place to ensure continued care.
“We may need to reschedule some nonurgent appointments and elective surgeries. If you have an appointment scheduled on a possible strike date, please don’t cancel or reschedule. We’ll contact you if we have to reschedule your appointment.”