A Kaiser Permanente strike that has brought picket lines, rescheduled appointments, closed pharmacies and waits for medication enters into its third week.
An estimated 31,000 nurses and other health care professionals in United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals launched the strike on Jan. 26 in California and Hawaii. It revolves around disputes in staffing, wages and Kaiser bargaining strategies that have brought unfair labor practice complaints.
On Feb. 9, more than 3,000 Kaiser laboratory workers and pharmacy employees from the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union joined the strike. The organization and the UNAC/UHCP are part of an alliance of unions in a contract dispute with the health system.
Kaiser said its leaders have resumed local bargaining and have made some progress. UNAC/UHCP members said they’ll stay on strike until they reach what they consider a fair agreement.
“All I know is we take it one day at a time,” said Ventura nurse practitioner Ricci Adibzadeh in a phone interview from picket lines at Kaiser’s Woodland Hills Medical Center.
Kaiser provides care for about 145,000 people in Ventura County. Medical office buildings and hospitals remain open. The strike has closed many of the health system’s pharmacies though the Kaiser facility on Ventura’s Market Street remains open. A Kaiser clinic at the Target store in Westlake Village was also open as of Feb. 8.
Kaiser announced that some of their labs have also closed. Sites that remain open include Market Street in Ventura and East Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks. 93003
Kaiser members have been told some appointments may be rescheduled or conducted virtually. The health system provides daily information about strike impacts on its website.
Union members and patients said the strike has brought long lines and delays at the Market Street pharmacy. On Feb. 5, people waited for medications outside the pharmacy.
Jan Brenner uses a pharmacy in Camarillo but now has drive to Ventura. She’s ready for the strike to end but noted that laboratory and pharmacy workers are joining the work action.
“I believe that will delay things even longer,” she said.
Alex Hernandez, a pharmacy technician at Kaiser’s Hill Road location, was set to join the picket lines on Feb. 9 as her local, UFCW 770, launched its strike. She said Kaiser walked from national bargaining. If the company agrees to resume national bargaining, Local 770 will likely go back to work, Hernandez said.
“We’re basically just waiting for Kaiser,” she said. “The ball is in Kaiser’s hands.”
Kaiser has defended its bargaining strategies. Officials said in a written statement that local bargaining will continue and has, in some instances, brought tentative agreements.
Unions are pushing for improved staffing. Adibzadeh of UNAC/UHCP said the bottom line issue is getting enough employees in clinics and hospital to protect patient care.
Kaiser officials contend the strike was launched because of money.
“The total pay increase we are offering, including step increases, amounts to roughly 30% over the length of the contract,” officials said of the four-year proposal in a written statement. They said UNAC/UHCP’s proposals amount to a 63% increase over the four years.
Union leaders called Kaiser’s claims “accounting gymnastics.” They contend the company prioritizes profits over patient care and has built up massive financial reserves. They said nurses are being asked to do the work of two people without adequate support.
“When Kaiser shows a real commitment to safe staffing and patient care, nurses are always willing to bargain responsibly,” they said in a news release.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com.
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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Kaiser strike affecting 145,000 in Ventura County enters third week
Reporting by Tom Kisken, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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