North Bay Kaiser Permanente workers are gearing up to join tens of thousands of colleagues in a system-wide strike on January 26th, just three months after their last strike. This time, over 120 Kaiser Permanente medical workers in Santa Rosa are expected to walk off the job indefinitely as part of a sweeping strike involving Kaiser workers across California and Hawaii. The labor dispute between Kaiser and the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) is affecting approximately 31,000 workers at nearly 20 hospitals and 200 clinics in the two states. In Northern California, the union represents 2,800 workers, including registered nurses, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists, and acupuncturists, with negotiations stalling since late last year. The union accuses Kaiser of prioritizing financial holdings, private investments, and executive pay over staffing shortages and fair pay, while Kaiser officials argue they're proposing a significant boost to already generous employee compensation. The union's contract with Kaiser expired on September 30th, and they carried out a 5-day strike in October. Brian Mason, the union's chief negotiator in Northern California, highlights staffing levels as a key issue, citing double and triple-booking patients by Kaiser, delayed care, and high turnover among certified registered nurse anesthetists. Mason also accuses Kaiser of wanting to eliminate workers' retirement plans and reduce pensions and healthcare benefits as punishment for unionizing. The union represents certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and physician assistants. Lionel Sims, senior vice president of human resources for Kaiser Permanente Northern California, says plans are in place to ensure safe, high-quality care during the strike. However, the union recently released a report documenting Kaiser's billions in reserves and questionable financial investments, even as patients face delayed care due to chronic understaffing. The report accuses Kaiser of generating massive profits of nearly $13 billion in 2024 and hoarding $66 billion in unrestricted reserves, while patient premiums have increased annually. Kaiser is also accused of bloated executive pay and investing in foreign entities with hedge funds, private equity groups, and Russian nationals, including companies linked to substandard health care and living conditions. Sims dismisses the report as a collection of misrepresentations and publicly reported information. The union's president, Charmaine S. Morales, a registered nurse, emphasizes that the strike aims to win staffing that protects patients, workload standards to prevent moral injury, and respect and dignity for Kaiser workers, who have been denied these for too long.
