Kaiser Permanente is bracing for a strike, as National United Healthcare Workers members are expected to hit the picket lines Monday morning. NUHW represents about 2,500 mental health care workers, including psychologists, social workers and nurses. It also has 700 optical workers as members as well.
“Unnecessary pain and suffering, preventable suicides have become normal at Kaiser Permanente and this is at a time with Kaiser’s profits are unprecedented,” said NUHW President, Sal Rosselli.
Rosselli said staffing shortages undermined their ability to provide quality care and at times are not in compliance with state and federal laws. He said they don’t want much, just a joint committee with psychologist and Kaiser’s management to address staffing concerns.
“These clinicians don’t want to strike,” he declared. “Obviously, they go into these careers to take care of people, but every day they are faced with critical situations on not being able to care for their patients adequately,” he explained.
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Kaiser Permanente paid for satellite time in on order for News 10 to interview its spokesperson in Oakland. When asked about understaffing at its mental health facilities, John Nelson replied, “this is one of the charges the union has been making. It is misleading at best and not true at worst. We have been adding therapists for the last three years.” Nelson went on, “We have increased the number of therapists by 25%.”
Rosselli said that figure is greatly exaggerated, claiming the increase in staffing is closer to 11%. Still, both parties managed to make it to the bargaining table for the last few days.
Talks broke down Saturday.
The union claims Kaiser Permanente walked out first, while Kaiser’s spokesperson said it was the other way around.
“These type of actions cause us to question the union’s sincerity and their intent in bargaining,” said Nelson. “From our perspective, we are ready to sit back at the table right now,” he asserted.
It has been a contentious relationship between NUHW and Kaiser since the union formed in 2009. In spite of several attempts, they have never reached a collective bargaining agreement.
“It is very frustrating and of concern to us,” Nelson explained. He said Kaiser has negotiated contracts with 30 other unions, many larger than NUHW which represents less than 5,000 of Kaiser’s 170,000 employees. “It is especially of concern when they try to put our patients in the middle,” she said.
Rosselli expressed interest in resuming talks. “We are ready to go back to the bargaining table today, tomorrow, any day,” she declared. “Kaiser needs to change its position on staffing,” he said.
The strike is expected to begin at 6 a.m, Monday morning and last until the following Monday, Jan. 19. Rosselli said his members will cross the picket lines to help patients if an emergency arises. Nelson said attempts are being made to reschedule patient appointments scheduled for this week.
Date: January 12, 2015