SAN DIEGO — The largest single-employer union in the U.S. is one step closer to a strike. San Diego Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers announced a strike authorization vote on Thursday over what they said is unfair labor practices.
On August 24, healthcare workers employed by Kaiser Permanente announced details of a strike authorization vote at a press conference.
The labor negotiations covering 85,000 Kaiser healthcare workers, represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, have now become the largest single-employer labor negotiations occurring in the United States.
Kaiser workers say, there is a chronic under-staffing that results in long wait times for patients and inadequate working conditions.
"Kaiser cannot keep bargaining in bad faith and committing unfair labor practices. Kaiser is facing chronic under-staffing because workers can't afford to live in LA on the low wages they pay us," said Miriam de la Paz, a unit secretary at Kaiser Permanente in Downey, California. "If Kaiser's millionaire executives won't work with us on a plan to hire more people so we can give every patient the attention they deserve, we're prepared to vote for an unfair labor practice strike."
Kaiser Permanente provided the following in a statement:
"Kaiser Permanente is the largest union-represented health care employer in the U.S. – with nearly 75 percent of our employees represented by unions. We are currently bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 88,000 employees in a variety of roles. The Coalition is part of our historic, 26-year-long Labor Management Partnership, the longest-lasting partnership of its kind in the country.
Kaiser Permanente is fully committed to reaching an agreement with the unions affiliated with the Coalition just as we have done in every national bargaining since 1999. Our priority is to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial and ensures we can continue to offer our people market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits. We are confident that we will reach an agreement that achieves that goal, before the contract expires on September 30. And we are confident that our new agreement will strengthen our position as a best place to work and ensure the high-quality care our members expect from us remains affordable and easy to access."