Kaiser executives refuse to acknowledge how much patient care has deteriorated or how much the frontline healthcare workforce and patients are suffering because of the Kaiser short-staffing crisis,” Dave Regan, president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, said in a statement from the coalition. Seventy-five percent of Kaiser employees are unionized. In part the strike has occurred because of bad faith bargaining according to strikers on the picket line here at the Kaiser permanents hospital in Harbor City.

The strike affects Kaiser facilities in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington, D.C., according to the coalition of unions organizing the walkout. This includes members of four international unions., SEIU, which organizes the bulk of hospital workers in S. CA and has a Membership of 57,443 including medical assistants, phlebotomists, information technology workers, surgical technicians, lab technicians, pharmacy clerks, social workers, food service workers and housekeepers. Emergency rooms and pharmacies will stay open.

This reporter, on the picket line at Kaiser Permanente in Harbor City with hundreds of health care workers along the sidewalk. Datosha Williams told me “I am a service representative for Kaiser Permanente I have been for 16 years. I am a very proud member of SEIU-UHW, on the executive board and the bargaining team. We are here today because Kaiser executives are not listening, not bargaining seriously in good faith. We have already come up with solutions on how to resolve the Kaiser Healthcare Staffing crisis we are in right now. Frontline healthcare workers are overworked, disrespected. Bargaining is always about compensation; we are now in a fight for the lowest pay health care workers and still we do not have enough staff to take care of the patients the way they deserve to be taken care of.”

Nurses and all hospital workers face a radically changed healthcare landscape. Burned out and traumatized from the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers are leaving the industry in alarming numbers, leaving California with an urgent patient care crisis. Rising inflation and housing costs have left many healthcare workers unable to afford to live in the communities where they serve, while higher wages in retail and fast food have made healthcare careers less competitive. In a recent survey, nearly one in three healthcare workers reported they were considering leaving the profession altogether.

Other health care workers were eager to explain why they walked out.

“My name is Rebecca Castro, I’ve been here 15 years inn the disability department that is short staffed. Patients might wait up to two three weeks to get their money and that’s a long wait. Kaiser executives do not want to bargain with us.”

Other unions turned out in support, such as Michelle Olinger with a delegation from the Union of Health care Professionals (UHCP), who added “We are out here to support them because without them our unit does not function.Because without them our hospital doesn’t function. Patient safety is always our first concern; staffing in the most important and vital part of our assistance.”

The theme was the same with everyone I spoke with. It is clear that the only way to hire and retain the experienced healthcare workers, our state needs to provide higher wages and to invest in educational pipelines to train the healthcare workers of tomorrow. Given KP’s profitability – more than $23 billion since 2018 and $3.2 billion in the first six months of this year alone, Kaiser can well afford to meet the staffing challenges and patient care crisis facing our state. The unions are demanding that management commit to a $25/hour minimum wage for all Kaiser Permanente positions.

In S. CA Kaiser, with a base wage of $21/hour, is offering 10% over four years plus a lump sum bonus of 4% (which is not included in pensions, sick or vacation days or other long-term wage-related benefits.

Kaiser is increasing insurance rates for patients 15.4% in 2024. Some workers make as little as $17/hr.

Due to pressure, lack of nurses, long shifts, too many patients with too few nurses, 31% of CA healthcare workers are thinking about quitting. Eighty-three percent say their department is understaffed. $3 billion profits over the past 6 months. (SEIU press release)

Because of staff shortage, Kaiser patients are forced to wait unsafe lengths of time for cancer screenings, room assignments, test results, primary care appointments, X-rays, surgeries, waiting in emergency rooms, and more, according to the Coalition of Unions.

Evelia Rodriguez confirmed the issues by all the strikers interviewed here today.

“I’m on the picket line because they don’t value us health care workers. The executives are not at the table bargaining in good faith. Not only us, but the patients are suffering as well. We’ve always been here to give good patient quality care and so it’s not happening because of short staffing.”

Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center, told the LA Times that “The move by the healthcare workers comes on the heels of “a dramatic series of strikes” by hotel workers, writers, actors, autoworkers and other laborers, which “contribute to a sense that worker solidarity makes a difference and collective action can move the agenda forward.”

Other unionists came to the picket line to offer solidarity and messages of support. These included members of the Inland Boatman’s Union and the International Association of Machinists.

Mike Vera, of the IBU told this reporter

“Today I am very proud to stand in solidarity with over 75,000 SEIU united healthcare workers. These workers demand that Kaiser executives bargain in good faith and put an end to the staffing crisis which jeopardizes the safety of both workers and more importantly the patients. Once again, we are witnessing a large corporation putting profit over the well-being of workers.”

The IAM also delivered a message of solidarity to the crowd.

Strikers were eager to also learn about health care in Cuba, which is completely free and were invited to participate in a program and come appeal for solidarity at the Machinists union hall, 1261 Avalon Blvd. in Wilmington, Saturday @11am.

The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of the LA Progressive.