Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers launch open-ended strike

"Up to 31,000 registered nurses, nurse anesthetists, pharmacists, midwives, physician assistants, rehab therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians and other specialty healthcare professionals are involved in the open-ended strike. The workers previously held a five-day walkout, with marches and picket lines in rainy weather, in October. The union that represents the striking Kaiser workers, called United Nurses Assns. of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and known as UNAC/UHCP, said it called a new strike because contract talks had stalled."

"The union's president, Charmaine Morales, said in an interview that Kaiser Permanente had unilaterally stopped the bargaining process in mid-December, halting talks both with a national coalition of labor groups representing workers at the healthcare system, as well as with local chapters. Although the company had recently resumed negotiations with workers in Northern California, and agreed to re-starting talks with other union units in California, no dates have been set for bargaining, she said."

Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California and Hawaii initiated an open-ended strike involving up to 31,000 specialty professionals, including nurses, pharmacists, midwives, therapists, and dietitians. Workers previously staged a five-day walkout in October with marches and pickets. Contract talks stalled, prompting the union UNAC/UHCP to call the new strike and accuse Kaiser of unlawfully undermining negotiations and intimidating employees. Kaiser accused the union of attempting to coerce concessions by compiling a report of alleged unsafe practices and filed a lawsuit. Negotiations have resumed only in Northern California; no bargaining dates are set elsewhere.

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