Topics

Posted 9/29/2023, 9:00:00 AM

Kaiser Permanente workers may strike nationwide amid contract disputes over pay and benefits

Frontline health care workers at Kaiser Permanente may go on a nationwide strike next week if contract negotiations fail. This would impact hospitals, clinics, and offices across the country.
Workers are demanding higher pay and benefits to address staff shortages exacerbated by the pandemic. Longer wait times for patients have resulted.
Kaiser has offered raises from 12-14%, but unions want closer to 25%. They say better pay will help retain and attract workers.
Unions also want Kaiser to renew protections against subcontracting and outsourcing, which Kaiser has so far refused.
Pharmacist Brooke El-Amin says severe understaffing during the pandemic harmed her mental health, as she worked to meet quotas with less support.

npr.org

Relevant topic timeline:

8/25/2023

Healthcare workers union holding strike authorization vote amid ‘growing patient care crisis’

Healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente are preparing for a strike authorization vote due to concerns over unfair practices and unsafe staffing levels, potentially affecting 23 Southern California locations.

8/27/2023

Labor unions are pushing hard for double-digit raises and better hours. Many are winning

Workers across industries are taking a hard stance against companies for better pay and working conditions, leading to a surge in strikes and support for organized labor, with more than 320,000 workers participating in at least 230 strikes so far in 2023, according to data from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

8/31/2023

Workers stage Japan’s first strike in decades to protest department store sale to U.S. fund

Workers at a major Tokyo department store went on strike for the first time in decades after talks over the planned sale of their company broke down, with concerns over job and business continuity guarantees.

9/7/2023

Unions on the Rise: Chevron Workers May Strike in Australia While Support for Labor Grows in US

Workers in the United States are increasingly engaging in strikes and labor unrest, with 16 major strikes occurring in the country so far this year, the highest number since 2005, posing potential challenges for American businesses both domestically and abroad, as demonstrated by the threat of a strike at Chevron's plants in Australia.

9/10/2023

UAW Threatens Strike Against Big 3 Automakers if New Contracts With Big Pay Hikes Not Reached

Approximately 146,000 U.S. auto workers are poised to go on strike if General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis fail to meet their demands for substantial pay raises and restored benefits, potentially causing significant disruptions in auto production and impacting the U.S. economy.

9/14/2023

Kaiser Permanente workers in Oregon and Washington vote to authorize strike over staffing and patient care concerns

Thousands of health care workers in Oregon and Washington have voted to endorse a strike against Kaiser Permanente, citing unfair labor practices and inadequate staffing that has resulted in substandard patient care.

9/16/2023

Over 12,000 UAW Auto Workers Strike Against Automakers, Demanding Wage Increases to Keep Pace with Inflation

More than 12,000 workers at the Big Three automakers are on strike in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri due to inadequate wages and benefits, demanding higher pay and an end to the tiered employment system.

9/22/2023

Strikes Hit Highest Level Since 1986 as Workers Demand Better Pay and Benefits

The number of workers going on strike in 2023 has increased significantly compared to previous years, with rising income inequality being a major factor driving this trend.

9/22/2023

Kaiser Healthcare Workers Threaten 3-Day Strike Over Wages and Staffing If No Deal Reached

Kaiser Permanente employees who are members of the Service Employees International Union Local 105 intend to go on a three-day strike if no agreement is reached, making it the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history.

9/29/2023

Kaiser Permanente Workers Across 6 States Threaten Historic Strike Over Wages and Staffing

Tens of thousands of unionized health care workers at Kaiser Permanente plan to go on strike starting Wednesday if contract negotiations fail, potentially resulting in the largest US health care strike in history.

10/10/2023

Major Kaiser Healthcare Strike Threatened for Early November as Unions Demand Staffing Increases

A coalition of unions representing over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente employees is threatening a second strike in November if contract negotiations do not result in sufficient progress, citing outsourcing as a major point of contention.

Topics

Posted 9/29/2023, 9:00:00 AM

Kaiser Permanente workers may strike nationwide amid contract disputes over pay and benefits

Frontline health care workers at Kaiser Permanente may go on a nationwide strike next week if contract negotiations fail. This would impact hospitals, clinics, and offices across the country.
Workers are demanding higher pay and benefits to address staff shortages exacerbated by the pandemic. Longer wait times for patients have resulted.
Kaiser has offered raises from 12-14%, but unions want closer to 25%. They say better pay will help retain and attract workers.
Unions also want Kaiser to renew protections against subcontracting and outsourcing, which Kaiser has so far refused.
Pharmacist Brooke El-Amin says severe understaffing during the pandemic harmed her mental health, as she worked to meet quotas with less support.

npr.org

Relevant topic timeline:

8/25/2023

Healthcare workers union holding strike authorization vote amid ‘growing patient care crisis’

8/27/2023

Labor unions are pushing hard for double-digit raises and better hours. Many are winning

8/31/2023

Workers stage Japan’s first strike in decades to protest department store sale to U.S. fund

9/7/2023

Unions on the Rise: Chevron Workers May Strike in Australia While Support for Labor Grows in US

9/10/2023

UAW Threatens Strike Against Big 3 Automakers if New Contracts With Big Pay Hikes Not Reached

9/14/2023

Kaiser Permanente workers in Oregon and Washington vote to authorize strike over staffing and patient care concerns

9/16/2023

Over 12,000 UAW Auto Workers Strike Against Automakers, Demanding Wage Increases to Keep Pace with Inflation

9/22/2023

Strikes Hit Highest Level Since 1986 as Workers Demand Better Pay and Benefits

The number of workers going on strike in 2023 has increased significantly compared to previous years, with rising income inequality being a major factor driving this trend.

9/22/2023

Kaiser Healthcare Workers Threaten 3-Day Strike Over Wages and Staffing If No Deal Reached

9/29/2023

Kaiser Permanente Workers Across 6 States Threaten Historic Strike Over Wages and Staffing

10/10/2023

Major Kaiser Healthcare Strike Threatened for Early November as Unions Demand Staffing Increases