The auto workers are on strike. A strike against a freight company caused a loss of 30,000 jobs. San Jose has to cut back on police, fire, parks and libraries due to the threat of a strike by a union. Now, the health care of millions of Californians, myself included, is being threatened.
“The strike will begin if an agreement is not met by Sept. 30, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, the union representing 60,000 Kaiser workers in California and the majority of the 85,000 workers represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, announced on Thursday.
Workers in Colorado have already voted to strike, as did Oregon workers on Thursday. Votes in other states, including Washington, are scheduled for next Wednesday.”
This will cause a health care crisis in California—and Newsom is silent while preparing his race for President.
California Kaiser workers vote to strike if deal not reached
By Natalia Gurevich, SF Examiner, 9/14/23 https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/state/california-kaiser-workers-vote-to-strike-if-deal-not-reached/article_2641ecbe-5340-11ee-9cae-ebcf69e2a3ee.html
Kaiser health care workers statewide voted Thursday to approve a strike if the two sides can’t agree to a contract later this month.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions and Kaiser have been negotiating a new contract since April, but union representatives allege the health care giant has been bargaining in bad faith.
The crux of the negotiations hinge on key issues for workers, such as struggling with low staffing levels made worse by the pandemic and the effect it’s had on patient care, as well as increases to wages to reflect the rising cost of living in areas where Kaiser facilities are located.
The strike will begin if an agreement is not met by Sept. 30, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, the union representing 60,000 Kaiser workers in California and the majority of the 85,000 workers represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, announced on Thursday.
Workers in Colorado have already voted to strike, as did Oregon workers on Thursday. Votes in other states, including Washington, are scheduled for next Wednesday.
A strike would affect some two dozen Kaiser medical centers and hospitals in Northern California. The health care giant operates multiple medical centers and offices in The City, as well as a hospital.
“This could be the largest health care strike in U.S. history, as workers say Kaiser executives refuse to acknowledge the decline in patient service and care and negate the struggle of the workforce to keep up with the high cost of living in areas where Kaiser operates,” SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West said Thursday.
Health care workers said Kaiser has made other missteps that impact patient care, including increasing patient premiums without improving care, slashing performance bonuses for front-line staff, removing protections against subcontracting, offering wages for entry-level positions lower than fast-food and retail wages.
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The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said it proposed a four-year contract with annual pay increases of 7% in the first and second years, and 6.25% in the third and fourth years. The union proposed a minimum wage of $25 an hour across the board, but Kaiser countered with $21 an hour by 2026.
“Every one of these proposals from Kaiser will make staffing problems worse and continue to delay care to patients,” said Dave Regan, the president of SEIU-UHW in Thursday’s statement. “Kaiser has failed to bargain in good faith with the caregivers who are doing everything they can to protect patient safety.”
The last time a contract was negotiated between Kaiser and its workers was in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Kaiser told The Examiner in a statement on Thursday that they have also offered continuing existing health benefits and retirement income plans, among other things, during bargaining so far. The company said there are two more bargaining sessions scheduled next week.
“We are confident we’ll reach an agreement before the national agreement expires on Sept. 30 that strengthens our position as a best place to work and ensures that the high-quality care our members expect from us remains affordable and easy to access,” the company said.
Kaiser refuted the claims the coalition made, adding that the they proposed across-the-board wage increases of between 10% and 14% over four years, as well as lump sum increases Southern California workers. The company said it has hired 9,000 new employees this year, just shy of its goal of 10,000 additional workers.
“A strike authorization vote does not reflect any breakdown in bargaining, nor does it indicate a strike is imminent or will happen at all,” Kaiser said. “It is a disappointing action considering our progress at the bargaining table.”
“We take any threat to disrupt care for our members seriously and have comprehensive plans to ensure continued access to needed health care services, should a strike occur later this year,” the company added.
With the real world day to day living expenses having gone up close to 25% since January 2021 we will see more and more workers have to make moves to take care of their obligations and family needs. I personally have no use for unions no more than I have a use for mail in ballots but I as a retired person on a fixed income understand well what families are up against.
In one year my family’s expenses have gone up 34%, Electricity, Water, Groceries, Gasoline, the basics. Keep voting Democrat if you want more of the same or wake the H up.