Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Workers Strike for Better Conditions

Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Workers Strike Over Pay and Pensions

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Thousands of healthcare workers from Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles and San Diego are poised to strike starting Monday morning, with more than 300 workers participating from San Diego alone. This significant strike, occurring at the Clairemont Mesa location, will run through Friday, excluding Tuesdays when San Diego personnel join their Los Angeles colleagues.

Union's Demands for Mental Health Workers

Jim Clifford, a longtime therapist at Kaiser’s psychiatry office in Otay Mesa with over 23 years of service, is part of this strike effort. He represents the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), advocating for improved contracts for Southern California workers akin to those received by their Northern California counterparts. With union contracts having expired on Sept. 30, ongoing negotiations are crucial.

One of the main goals is to attract and retain mental health personnel by restoring the union's pension plans, which have been absent for a decade. Clifford stressed, “We're basically the only employee group at Kaiser that doesn't have pensions,” making it challenging to retain staff as they face overwhelming workloads.

Kaiser’s Response to Workers’ Needs

• The union is demanding increased patient care time, totaling seven hours weekly for necessary tasks.
• Kaiser has countered with a proposal of six hours, contending that the union's demand would take away too much time from patient care.
• Pay raises are also at the forefront, with non-mental health employees reportedly earning 40% more than mental health staff.
• Kaiser has proposed an 18% salary increase over four years.

In conclusion, the lack of pensions is a significant concern, leading to higher turnover rates and a weakened training program. Kaiser defends its retirement offerings, including a fully subsidized retiree medical plan and a potential 9% employer contribution.