Kaiser Mental Health Workers Continue Strike, Demand Better Conditions

The picket lines remain active and vibrant following the holiday, with significant participation from community allies, elected officials, and patients alike, who continue to share their personal experiences. Over 500 behavioral health patients of Kaiser have come forward since late October to discuss their challenges with accessing timely mental health care.

Recently, a Sacramento journalist shared his family's difficulty in obtaining care:

“I do not blame the mental health workers who Kaiser employs for partial treatment of my boy. The National Union of Healthcare Workers blames Kaiser management for cutting mental health workers’ time treating patients to allocate money elsewhere. In sum, mental health workers’ working conditions drive their patients’ therapy, according to the NUHW. I agree.”

A press conference held last Monday featuring Kaiser patients has continued to attract media attention. As reported by the San Diego Union Tribune:

“I haven’t had any thoughts of giving up, and I won’t have them, because this is greater than us,” said Olivia Aguirre, a licensed marriage and family therapist and NUHW bargaining unit member who said she has worked for Kaiser for nine years. “This is greater than Kaiser….This is, in my opinion, a mental health revolution. We are tired of the way mental health is seen and ignored.”

Yesmine Florines, a mental health counselor undergoing therapy herself, shared her struggle to find a therapist before the strike. Despite being assigned a couple’s counselor outside the Kaiser network, she has been unable to find an EMDR therapist.

“There is no continuum of care … it’s been very, very frustrating, and that’s just kind of where I’m at now, and it’s just been very hard.”

Picket Line Activities

• The San Diego Labor Council hosted a grocery donation event last Thursday, with Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez showing her support.
• Supporters from UFCW 770 energized the West LA picket lines.
• In Panorama City, security guards expressed their solidarity with fist bumps.
• A Friends and Family Day saw a robust turnout backing the strikers.
• Live music performances and patient-bought lunches boosted morale at LAMC, with the week beginning with spirited chants and marches.

Financial Assistance Information

Applications for hardship funds must be submitted by Friday at 11:59 p.m. for the subsequent Friday's disbursement. The official disbursement rules and the application form are available online.

Spreading the word about the donation links is crucial to ensuring sufficient funds for distribution. Weekly disbursements are currently capped at $250 as the committee manages the workflow and challenges of handling large funds.

Visual Moments from the Picket Lines

Explore the photo gallery below and visit NUHW’s social media channels for more images: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.