Over 75K healthcare workers go on strike

Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents 85,000 workers or 40% of all Kaiser workers, have been negotiating the terms of a new four-year contract. The previous contract, which was set before the pandemic, expired on Sept. 30.

During the negotiations, the unions proposed a $25 hourly minimum wage and across-the-board wage increases of 6.5% in the first two years and 5.75% in the last two years. The unions also asked for protections against outsourcing, earlier notice when remote workers are called back to in-person work, and strategies to tackle chronic staffing shortages, which workers say have negatively impacted patient care.

So far, Kaiser has agreed to some of the unions' proposals, including outsourcing protections. It has also tentatively agreed to increase reimbursement for remote workers to $50 a month for WiFi and $20 a month for phones, and has agreed to a minimum 60-day notice if remote workers are required to return to the office.

However, Kaiser has pushed back against the unions' requested pay increases. Currently, Kaiser has offered the unions location-dependent wage increases, with the maximum rate set at 4%.

According to Kaiser, the organization leads "compensation in every market where we operate, and our proposals in bargaining would ensure we keep that position." However, the unions argue that the raises proposed by Kaiser will not keep up with the cost of living.

"Workers are really being squeezed right now," said Renee Saldana, a spokesperson for SEIU-UHW, a union that is part of the Coalition. "They went through the worst global health crisis in a generation and then they come out and they're worried about paying rent, they're worried about losing their house, they're worried about living in their cars."

"They don't pay what we deserve," said Mariana Hernandez, a certified nursing assistant at Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center. "We have to work double shifts, and staffing issues are making a big impact on patient care."

On Wednesday, over 75,000 workers went on strike after the unions and Kaiser failed to reach a full agreement on the contract terms. Most striking workers — over 68,000 — are located in California. The workers include licensed vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, dietary services workers, and more.

The strike will last until the morning of Oct. 7 for workers in California, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington state. Workers in Virginia and Washington, D.C., planned for a 24-hour strike before going back to work.

According to the unions, this strike is the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history. Although this current strike is temporary, the unions said that a "longer, stronger" strike may occur in November if a deal with Kaiser is still not reached by then.

Kevin Holloran, senior director at Fitch Ratings, said the strike could have an impact on future healthcare worker negotiations. "They're really a bellwether, if you will, of future negotiations," he said. "That's the story here. Where does this end up and what does it do to the rest of the sector if they, too, have to negotiate or renegotiate contracts?"

"Kaiser is one of the premier health system brands in the U.S. Anything Kaiser does has a massive impact on the market," said Russ Richmond, CEO of healthcare workforce management company Laudio. "Impact is going to be felt through California. We will see other health systems receive similar demands from their unions, which will undoubtedly be on the wage front, but also on job duties."

How will the strike impact patients?

Ahead of the strike, Kaiser said it has "robust contingency plans in place to ensure members continue to receive safe, high-quality care should a strike occur" and emphasized that its hospitals and EDs will stay open.

"Our hospitals and emergency departments will remain open. Our facilities will continue to be staffed by our physicians, trained and experienced managers, and staff, and in some cases we will augment with contingent workers," said a Kaiser spokesperson.

However, the organization also noted that some non-emergency and elective services could be rescheduled during the strike "out of an abundance of caution."

According to Kaiser, negotiations are still ongoing with the unions, and the organization "remain[s] committed to reaching a new agreement that continues to provide our employees with market-leading wages, excellent benefits, generous retirement income plans, and valuable professional development opportunities." (Portnoy/Gurley, Washington Post, 10/4; Abelson/Baumgaertner, New York Times, 10/4; Delouya, CNN, 10/4; Kaye, NPR, 10/4; Gibson, CBS News, 10/4; Kekatos, ABC News, 10/4; Murphy/Dickey, Axios, 10/4; Clark/Frieden, MedPage Today, 10/4; Reed, Axios, 10/5; Abelson, New York Times, 10/4)

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