Our powerful vote to authorize our bargaining committee to send a 10-day notice to strike if necessary kicked off a wave of momentum across our union and joined our cause with unionized workers across the country. In the coming weeks, we expect more than 40,000 Kaiser Permanente (KP) health care workers nationwide will be ready to do whatever it takes for our patients and our professions.
This employer needs to understand that we are not just labor costs to be managed by bean counters. Health care is about people: Our patients and those who care for them. To understand the human cost of its proposals, KP needs to see us. On Oct. 30, we’ll come together in a visible show of force in Pasadena for the March for the Future of Health Care. Register here or using the form at the bottom of the page: unacuhcp.org/oct30march
The employer wants to divide us. Our power is in staying united. KP is preparing for a strike, as expected. In the coming days and weeks, they will ask us about our plans. The best answer is, “Yes, I’m ready to strike.”
At the Table
A strike is a last resort. The best outcome would be to secure the strongest possible agreement without having to strike. Our vote was a collective action with real results:
- We secured additional bargaining dates continuing into next week
- We are finally beginning to make progress on our contract
In recent days, we’ve won tentative agreements at the table that invest in us, including Ben Hudnall funds that will allow us to continue our education and advance our practice. However, Kaiser Permanente continues to drag its feet on meaningful staffing improvements while insisting on its dangerous two-tier wage scheme in the midst of a national health care worker shortage. In order to continue to provide high-quality patient care and prevent an erosion of standards, KP must keep industry-leading jobs. (📖 Read more about the dangers of two-tier here)
Additional Resources
📖 Get the Facts: An overview of Kaiser Permanente’s economic proposal
🗄 Read the full contract proposal comparison compiled by the Alliance of Health Care Unions
👉 Answers to frequently asked questions about a potential strike (download and print for reference)
📢 View media coverage from the campaign to learn more about what’s at stake
💲 Five facts about Kaiser Permanente’s finances (via the Alliance)