UNAC/UHCP — the union representing various Kaiser workers such as rehabilitation therapists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and physical therapists — has been on strike since January 26. The strike has continued with a strong presence. At the Oakland facility, there were pickets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with music, chants, and high energy. In total, about 31,000 UNAC/UHCP workers are on strike across California and Hawaii, affecting around 20 Kaiser hospitals and 200 clinics.
This strike resulted from the failure of ongoing negotiations, dating back to September of last year, when UNAC/UHCP workers went on a five-day strike fighting for their core contract demands of higher wages and safer staffing. However, little progress was made on negotiations since then. Kaiser has argued that it cannot meet workers’ demands for higher salaries because the cost would ultimately be passed on to patients through higher insurance premiums. This claim is ridiculous, as Kaiser holds around $66 billion in reserves.
As we enter the third week of the strike, 3,000 UFCW workers in Southern California—representing pharmacy and laboratory workers at Kaiser—will also join the strike. UNAC/UHCP and UFCW workers are determined to keep the pressure on Kaiser. The fight for a better contract, benefits, and safe staffing levels continues!
