BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBFX/KBFX) Thousands of healthcare workers have initiated a strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California, impacting over 500 hospitals on the West Coast, including those in Bakersfield.
Jorge Ortiz, a charge nurse, expressed his preference for working and caring for patients over striking, stating, “I’d rather be working and taking care of my patients than being out here and just trying to do our best to get a fair contract and to address some of the issues we’ve been trying to address for some time.”
Pharmacist Ranjit Sidhu echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of patient safety and fair wages.
The United Nurses Associations of California and the Union of Health Care Professionals, in collaboration with the Alliance of Health Care Unions, are representing the healthcare professionals in negotiations with Kaiser.
Kaiser Permanente released a statement highlighting their proposal, which includes a 21.5% wage increase over four years, noting that their employees currently earn 16% more than peers elsewhere.
However, the healthcare workers are demanding a 25% wage increase, arguing that anything less would not address issues such as unsafe staffing and stagnant wages.
The union criticized Kaiser’s public message, stating, “For months, UNAC/UHCP has bargained in good faith to address unsafe staffing, stagnant wages, and deteriorating patient care conditions. Kaiser’s public message highlights ‘21.5% wage increase over four years,’ but what it doesn’t mention is years of wage freezes during record inflation, cuts for new union members, and the real daily impact these conditions have on patient care.”
Despite the strike, Kaiser Permanente assures that its hospitals and medical offices will remain open. Patients with scheduled appointments are advised not to cancel or reschedule, as Kaiser will contact them if their appointments are affected.