California mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente are preparing to strike for the second time in a little more than two years, citing stressful working conditions, lack of pensions and inadequate pay — with resultant impacts on patient care.
The National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents nearly 2,400 Kaiser Permanente behavioral health workers in Southern California, on Thursday officially advised the health care giant that its members will begin an open-ended strike on Oct. 21.
The union and the company have until then to make a deal that would avert a strike. Kaiser in a written statement said it was making the “necessary preparations” for patients to access care if a strike occurs.
The previous Kaiser mental health strike, which involved Northern California mental health workers, took place in 2022 and lasted almost 10 weeks. Those workers ultimately won certain concessions, such as higher wages and more hours each week to handle patient care duties such as charting and responding to emails.
Where things stand
Southern California mental health workers say they are now asking Kaiser to match what their colleagues in the north of the state receive.
Kaiser representatives, in an emailed statement, said they put forward a strong offer that increases wages and enhances “industry-leading” benefits. They said they have invested more than a billion dollars since 2020 in expanding mental health capabilities in California and referred to the threat of the strike as a commonly used bargaining tactic and a distraction that “creates unnecessary concern for our members.”
“Kaiser Permanente is steadfast in our goal to…
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