AFSCME Members Strike at Kaiser Permanente for Patient Care and Rights

Thousands of Health Care Workers Strike at Kaiser Permanente for Improved Care and Conditions

In a significant move for the health care sector, tens of thousands of members from the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), part of the AFSCME, have initiated a massive strike at Kaiser Permanente in California. Their primary objective is to secure better patient care conditions.

This historic strike, involving numerous health care workers from the Alliance of Health Care Unions, started on Tuesday. It seeks to address critical issues like safe staffing, equitable pay, and the protection of patient care. Set to last five days across multiple Kaiser locations, it's the largest strike in UNAC/UHCP's 50-year history.

Charmaine S. Morales, RN, President of UNAC/UHCP, emphasized the struggle for dignity and fair treatment: “Our fight is about dignity, respect and a voice for those who dedicate their lives to patient care. We came to the table in good faith, but management has stonewalled us.”

The union, representing 41,000 registered nurses and frontline health care professionals in California and Hawaii, aims to rectify several systemic issues. These include more logical scheduling of appointments, fair compensation for workers, and ensuring that caregivers have a say in decisions affecting patient health.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders highlighted financial disparities, questioning the reserves and executive salaries at Kaiser: “You know how much they’ve got in their reserves? $64 billion. How much do they pay their top executives? $12 million a year. Yet the people who provide the services, who take care of the patients, are struggling every single day.”

The strike follows prolonged negotiations and recent mediation efforts. Despite the unions' preparedness and willingness to engage in constructive dialogue, Kaiser Permanente's management has been accused of evasive communication and proposing severe cuts to pay and retirement benefits.

Nick Partida, an emergency room nurse, expressed the critical nature of adequate staffing: “In an emergency room it’s a matter of life and death at times. We don’t have the time to try to find the resources and staff, which is a very common occurrence in our department – that we’re not adequately staffed to get these things done.”

As the strike continues, AFSCME's nationwide support remains strong, with Saunders affirming, “You belong to a union of 1.4 million members across this country. I am here saying whatever you need to win this strike, you have got it. We’re going to fight like hell with you and stand with you every single day.”