Kaiser Permanente workers to strike for five days starting Tuesday

The entrance to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego File photo by Chris Stone Times of San Diego Thousands of unionized Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and other medical professionals are set to begin a five-day strike Tuesday in Hawaii and California including in San Diego County amid ongoing contract negotiations Workers represented by the United Nurses Associations of California Union of Healthcare Care Professionals are expected to begin picketing at a m Tuesday at San Diego County locations including Zion Medicinal Center in Grantville San Diego Healthcare Center in Kearny Mesa and San Marcos Therapeutic Center For the picket line schedule go to unacuhcp org Affected workers include registered nurses pharmacists nurse anesthetists nurse practitioners midwives physician assistants rehab therapists speech language pathologists dietitians and other specialty wellbeing care professionals We do not take the decision to strike lightly A strike is reliably a last resort reached only after every other option has been exhausted the union stated in a message issued Sunday Over the past several months our bargaining teams have met with Kaiser Permanente at both the local and national tables in good faith When Kaiser requested mediation in new weeks we agreed in the hope of achieving a breakthrough We ve made ourselves available to meet anytime anywhere throughout the -day notice period and beyond Despite these efforts Kaiser has not agreed to a contract that delivers on the core priorities of the frontline soundness care professionals who make Kaiser work every day We re speaking up for better care View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNAC UHCP unacuhcp Kaiser Permanente revealed it has prepared contingency plans to ensure services during the strike The company disclosed hospitals and anatomical offices will remain open and will shift appointments to virtual care via phone video and e-chat In several cases a few healthcare appointments elective surgeries and procedures will be rescheduled Kaiser emphasized that facilities will be staffed by physicians experienced managers and trained staff with added licensed contract professionals as needed Additionally the company commented it will be onboarding up to nurses clinicians and other staff to work during the strike individuals who have worked for them before More than of Kaiser employees have also volunteered to be reassigned to work in strike locations the company declared Members can find the updates on care impacts at kp org Kaiser expects normal operations to resume after a m Sunday We remain committed to bargaining in good faith for a fair agreement that balances fair pay with high-quality affordable care Kaiser explained in a report We will continue providing the care our members rely on while honoring employees and protecting patients According to Kaiser the company has been working with the Alliance of Vitality Care Unions since May to reach new national and local agreements to help nearly employees The company commented that the heart of the negotiation is a dispute about wages The company announced that Alliance-represented employees earn on average more than peers elsewhere Kaiser s latest offer would provide an additional over the four-year contract as well as improves anatomical and pension benefits the company declared We value every member of our group and our history of collaboration with labor unions Kaiser Permanente mentioned The Alliance initially sought a wage increase over four years but now seeks which Kaiser Permanente described as a figure out of step with in current times s economic realities and rising fitness care costs according to the company Such a wage hike would increase the company s billion annual payroll and may lead to higher rates for members and customers with serious domain implications leaders revealed Our offer will increase payroll for this group by nearly billion in total by Kaiser declared in a comment Anything beyond will require us to further increase rates for our members and customers at a time when robustness care costs are increasingly unaffordable and numerous are having to make the challenging choice to go without coverage We have a responsibility to the right thing for our employees and our members and customers Meanwhile the union argued that Kaiser has the ability to pay saying that in the company s reserves stood at billion In Kaiser reached billion in reserves an increase of billion the union declared This is not a money complication It s a priority matter according to a declaration from the Alliance The union stated its request for an increase of was in part to address an inflation increase We re not asking for special restoration we re asking for equal cure Our proposal of a wage increase over four years is designed to restore what was lost keep pace with the cost of living and recognize the value of our members labor the Alliance announced in a declaration City News Amenity contributed to 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