After four months of striking, mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente are set to enter mediation, with California Governor Gavin Newsom urging both sides to resolve the dispute. In a letter sent Thursday to the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and Kaiser CEO Greg Adams, Newsom emphasized the urgent need to bring workers back to support Californians, particularly those affected by recent wildfires. He called for both parties to work together in mediation to end the strike and restore services.
The strike, which began on October 21, has left thousands of Kaiser patients facing canceled appointments and prolonged wait times for care. The union has stated that the walkout was driven by increasing workloads and staffing shortages that have compromised the quality of care for patients.
Strike By the Numbers
More than 300 Kaiser mental health workers have been on strike for nearly four months, demanding better pay and more time allocated for patient care. This marks the second strike in two years for Kaiser mental health workers, with a previous 10-week walkout in Northern California in 2022 leading to an agreement for increased staffing, more patient care time, and expanded mental health services.
In response to the strike, Kaiser has said that “more than 50% of the NUHW-represented employees who initially went on strike have returned to help care for our members.”
Tensions Escalate as Workers Rally for Fair Treatment
Tensions flared on Friday when striking workers held a rally outside Kaiser’s Medical Center in Los Angeles, demanding fair treatment for both patients and staff. The union reports that several people were arrested during the protest.
Kaiser responded to the rally and Governor Newsom’s letter with a statement, asserting that while the demonstration was an “inconvenience” to patients, the union’s actions were not focused on patient care. The health system criticized the union’s demand for higher pay while providing what they described as less care, and reiterated that the key issues in negotiations remain unchanged.
“We urge the union to focus its attention where it belongs — at the bargaining table,” said Kaiser in a statement. “In the meantime, and as always, our top priority will be delivering high-quality care to meet the needs of our members and patients.”
As mediation begins, both sides face mounting pressure to resolve the dispute and bring an end to the strike that has severely impacted mental health care services in the region.
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