Posted on 10/11/2021 7:48:50 PM PDT by Mark
Unions representing thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in Southern California said Monday their members have voted to authorize a strike, which union officials say would likely “cripple” the health care giant’s operations.
The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals said 96% of 18,209 participating members working at Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California hospitals and clinics voted this month in favor of authorizing the strike, if necessary.
Members of the United Steelworkers Local 7600, which also includes Kaiser Permanente employees in Southern California, have also voted to support granting the unions authority to call a strike.
As required by law, Kaiser must be given 10 days’ notice before work stoppages can begin, which UNAC/UHCP said in a statement would be the largest strike in the country so far this year.
Home » OC » This Article Southern California Kaiser Permanente Union Members Vote to Authorize Strike Posted by Contributing Editor on October 11, 2021 in OC | Leave a response Share this article: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail An example of a nurse preparing to interact with a patient. Photo from Pixabay. A nurse wears a mask. Photo from Pixabay.
Unions representing thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in Southern California said Monday their members have voted to authorize a strike, which union officials say would likely “cripple” the health care giant’s operations.
The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals said 96% of 18,209 participating members working at Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California hospitals and clinics voted this month in favor of authorizing the strike, if necessary.
Members of the United Steelworkers Local 7600, which also includes Kaiser Permanente employees in Southern California, have also voted to support granting the unions authority to call a strike.
As required by law, Kaiser must be given 10 days’ notice before work stoppages can begin, which UNAC/UHCP said in a statement would be the largest strike in the country so far this year.
The two unions say they represent a combined 31,000 Kaiser workers in a wide range of job classes from registered nurses, physical therapists and pharmacists to licensed vocational nurses, appointment clerks, housekeeping attendants, medical assistants, customer service representatives, pharmacy assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, membership service representatives, dietary aides and more.
The unions, which are seeking 4% wage increases each year through 2023, say Kaiser wants to cut wages for health care workers amid major staffing shortages and cost-of-living increases.
“We’re concerned about the future of nursing and how we recruit and retain nurses and other health care workers who will serve our communities for years to come,” said Denise Duncan president of UNAC/UHCP. “We can no longer sit back and watch the employer continue to dismantle the progress we made in quality patient care and health plan membership growth.”
In a statement, Arlene Peasnall, senior vice president of human resources at Kaiser Permanente, said Kaiser is continuing to work with the union’s umbrella organization, the Alliance of Health Care Unions, on reaching an agreement. Kaiser and the Alliance of Health Care Unions have been in negotiations since April.
In her statement, Peasnall said, “We ask that our employees reject a call to walk away from the patients who need them. Our priority is to continue to provide our members with high-quality, safe care. In the event of any kind of work stoppage, our facilities will be staffed by our physicians along with trained and experienced managers and contingency staff.”
Big Leftists that run Kaiser want to cut wages?
This reminds me of the Carter years.
Once inflation starts to get out of control, any unions that can strike will do so to try to stay ahead of inflation.
They don’t want to get stuck in a long term contract that sticks them with losses in real wages.
Just waiting for the long lines at gas stations.
We already had those on the east coast.
Where do Covid vaccinations fit into this?
Imho the vaxx mandates will get a significant number of workers to retire or quit or get fired, which of course will increase the workload on the remaining workers—another reason for the remaining workers to demand higher pay...
and now long lines at hospitals
My daughter, unfortunately a leftist, works for KP in Denver and she is paid very well. She started at 90k six months after graduating and has received regular promotions and bonuses. Not exactly sure what she does but at one time her job title was “Senior Analyst” for something. She even works at home. Not sure about health care employees but she has no complaints.
A good analysis.
might as well do it now, while the ‘emergency surgicals’ only is still in place. That way they can be 4% richer and refreshed from protesting, when it is time for non-emergency procedures to resume - with a mile-long waiting list.
All the unions I’ve heard about so far have supported them. They sold out their membership in mass genuflection to the regime.
If there are any unions around the country standing up for their members individual rights to say no to the Jab oh, I’m not aware of any. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any oh, but they certainly aren’t being prominently reported for taking a stand on behalf of their members.
Yes, it does seem that union leadership is onboard with get vaxx or get fired.
If you saw the video created by the gentleman with LA City Fire Dept, you may recall that this was one of his central complaints: that the union folded like s cheap suit, and gave no support to its members in this regard.
Same for police, so far as I’ve heard.
Which leftists do we cheer?
Doesn’t sound like they’re striking because of the vaccine mandate tho, unless they’re covering it up. They just want higher wages, or so they say.
“Doesn’t sound like they’re striking because of the vaccine mandate...”
Sure doesn’t.
I’d be truly surprised if it came out a union representing healthcare workers was taking a stand against the mandate.
At the same time, it’s like recent history has said, “Don’t test me, man! I’m tired, and I’ll mess you up!” Cuz it is.
Freakin’ 500+ days of “Two Weeks To Flatten...” — what? The f’n economy?
And we got a mumbling sock puppet in the Oval Office who could’ve held his biggest campaign rally in a corner booth at Denny’s? But he got 80 million votes, yaknow... Ar, ar, ar. LET’S GO BRANDON!
And this same “Brandon” who hasn’t been able to cure his craniorectal impaction for 50 years was gonna pull the US outta the ‘Stan...? Just like poppin’ open the champagne, right? Wee! Look at it go!
And that exhibition was SUCH a booming success that China’s flying hundreds of warplanes into ROC airspace and... >crickets< I’ve heard the Joint Chiefs are quietly taking steps to ensure Tai security, and keeping the West Wing supplied with ice cream and waffle cones.
I’m out here re-reading Revelation, ‘cuz nothing’s too hard to imagine anymore.
Correct. The workers left out here are getting burned out
They don’t. This is strictly weather related.
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