Kaiser Strike Update: Bargaining Resumes Amid Legislative Support

December 21, 2024 December 21, 2024

Editorial Staff

Kaiser Labor Relations Reaches Out for Negotiation Resumption

The ongoing strike involving Kaiser mental health workers has garnered attention as Kaiser Labor Relations extended an invitation to resume negotiations. The union has confirmed its readiness to meet at any time, reinforcing their commitment to resolving the ongoing dispute.

Media and Legislative Support

The strike continues to attract significant media coverage. Capital and Main recently highlighted legislative backing for the workers, while CalMatters featured interviews with affected parties, including both striking workers and patients.

A virtual news conference is scheduled for Monday morning, where three Kaiser patients will share their experiences with the behavioral healthcare provided by Kaiser before and during the strike. The event will be recorded and accessible on NUHW’s YouTube channel.

Legislative Intervention: Letters from State Leaders

California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have both expressed their concerns to Kaiser CEO Greg Adams. Thurmond's letter criticized Kaiser for creating a "two-tiered system" in mental health care, adversely affecting Southern California patients.

Insisting that mental health professionals in Southern California have less time for critical patient care duties that cannot be done during their appointments than their counterparts in Northern California creates a two-tiered system that results in unequal and inferior care for Kaiser members in Southern California. Again, this is particularly concerning to me as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, because Kaiser Permanente is the largest health care provider in the state for school employees, including thousands of school employees in Southern California who meet the needs of our students daily, and who themselves are in need of timely, quality mental and behavioral health services.

Meanwhile, Treasurer Fiona Ma's letter raised questions regarding Kaiser’s financial strategies, particularly the use of California-generated profits for out-of-state expansions rather than improving local behavioral health services.

While I’ve watched these developments with great concern, I’ve also carefully observed your leadership team’s decision to invest billions of dollars in acquiring out-of-state health systems rather than correcting the well-documented and recurring problems affecting Kaiser’s behavioral health services in California. To date, Kaiser has committed to spending more than $9 billion to acquire two health systems in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. It appears that most of these funds were generated by California’s consumers and group purchasers—including our local, county, and state governments—who account for the supermajority of Kaiser’s enrollees. In 2025, Kaiser will boost the monthly premiums it charges to CalPERS members by 8.4%.

As a Constitutional Officer with the fiduciary responsibility to manage our state’s assets and ensure accountability for the use of our state government’s financial resources, and specifically in my roles as a member of the CalPERS and CalSTRS Boards, we intend to take firm action with staff and Board leaders to ensure that you address the concerns I have outlined above, including by initiating efforts to make whole CalPERS and its Kaiser enrollees for behavioral health services they paid for but did not receive. We ask to meet with you at your earliest opportunity to discuss your plans to address this important matter.

Strike Activities and Future Plans

No picket lines will be active on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1. Workers are encouraged to thank their state legislators if they supported the letters to Greg Adams, urging resolution on union terms. Links to the Senate and Assembly letters are available.

Holiday-themed events are being organized by the Orange County Labor Federation and CLUE, with celebrations taking place at LAMC and the Anaheim line.

Support and Resources

Applications for hardship funds are due by Friday for disbursement the following week. Details and applications can be found here and here. Donations can be made through the GoFundMe page.