Thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare 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 Assns. of California/Union of Health Care Professionals 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 healthcare professionals.
The strike is set to begin at 7 a.m. Monday.
“We’re not going on strike to make noise,” said Charmaine S. Morales, a registered nurse who is 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.”
Kaiser management released a statement emphasizing the robust compensation package it has already offered employees.
“Our focus remains on reaching agreements that recognize the vital contributions of our employees while ensuring excellent, affordable care,” the statement said. “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.”
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 and 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.
- West Los Angeles Medical Center, 6041 Cadillac Ave.
- Baldwin Park Medical Center, 1011 Baldwin Park Blvd.
- Panorama City Medical Center, 13651 Willard St.
- Woodland Hills Medical Center, 5601 De Soto Ave.
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