Kaiser workers set to picket Southern California medical facilities

Kaiser Permanente workers plan to picket Kaiser hospitals and medical facilities throughout Southern California this week, claiming low wages, understaffing and employee burnout have  undermined patient care.

The nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, technicians, cooks, food staff and others are represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. They’re calling for increased staffing after grappling with severe shortfalls throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

They say the situation has led to long patient wait times, mistaken diagnoses and neglect, making it harder to provide quality care.

One employee said a strike is a “very real possibility” if their concerns aren’t met.

The Coalition — which includes SEIU-UHW, SEIU Local 121RN, UFCW, several OPEIU locals and IFPTE Local 20 — began its national bargaining process in April. The workers’ labor contract will expire Sept. 30.

Rallies will be held Tuesday, July 25 at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Downey, Kaiser Orange County North and Kaiser Panorama City Medical Center, among others, with additional picketing this week at Kaiser facilities in the Antelope Valley, South Bay, West Los Angeles, Baldwin Park and Woodland Hills.

Miriam de la Paz, who works in the labor and delivery department at Kaiser’s Downey facility, said she’s constantly overloaded with work.

“After so many shifts trying to do the work of two or even three people, we are burnt out and exhausted,” she said. “We need Kaiser to fix this staffing crisis and hire more people so we can give every patient the time and attention they deserve.”

Frank Hurtarte, senior vice president of human resources for Kaiser’s Southern California and Hawaii operations, said Kaiser’s priority is to reach an agreement that “ensures the company can continue to provide market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits.”

He questions the union’s motives.

“Given where we are in the bargaining process, it is clear that the picketing announced by the Coalition on July 13 is not about drawing attention to new issues, but rather an attempt to create some kind of bargaining leverage,” Hurtarte said in a statement.

He added that Kaiser and the Coalition agreed in April to a joint goal of hiring 10,000 new employees for Coalition-represented jobs in 2023.

“Staffing challenges have been happening all across health care, but are actually less true at Kaiser Permanente now than elsewhere,” Hurtarte said.

Datosha Williams, a service representative at Kaiser’s South Bay Medical Center who also serves on SEIU-UHW’s executive board, said the healthcare giant hasn’t moved fast enough to hire more employees.

“They keep discussing it, but there has been no movement,” she said. “What’s even more frustrating is they’re bringing in workers from outside agencies and paying them more than we make.”

Williams said many Kaiser employees are service workers whose starting wage is $17 an hour.

“We’re asking for a $25-an-hour statewide minimum wage for healthcare workers,” she said. “Some of our employees are one paycheck away from eviction and others are couch surfing with friends.”

Additional pickets will be held this week at Kaiser facilities in Washington, Oregon and Colorado. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents more than 85,000 healthcare workers in seven states and the District of Columbia.