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In a significant labor action, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers are set to commence a three-day strike, poised to impact one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers. This strike adds to a series of labor disruptions that have unfolded across various industries in the United States over several months.
Disruption Across Multiple States
This three-day strike is expected to disrupt services for nearly 13 million individuals residing in at least six states. Nonessential services, such as routine doctor’s visits, will halt as radiology technicians, pharmacy technicians, dental assistants, optometrists, and support staff join picket lines. Despite this, hospitals and emergency services will remain operational, as per the company’s contingency plans, thanks to a combination of staff reassignments and replacement workers.
Nationwide Strike Locations
Strike lines will be established nationwide at Kaiser Permanente hospitals and medical office buildings, including California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Escalating Tensions in Healthcare
This strike indicates the escalating tensions between healthcare companies and their workers, which have intensified since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente unions has accused the company of reducing its workforce through attrition, which has resulted in an understaffed force unable to care for patients adequately.
Allegations of Bargaining in Bad Faith
The labor coalition has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Kaiser executives are negotiating in bad faith in their attempts to address the staffing crisis.
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Company’s Response and Ongoing Negotiations
Kaiser Permanente, in response, has denied these allegations, asserting that it has offered across-the-board wage increases of at least 12.5% over four years and state-specific minimum wages ranging from $21 to $23 per hour. Negotiations between the two sides continued until Tuesday evening, ultimately disagreeing.
Notice of Strike Action
On September 22, the coalition submitted a 10-day strike notice, mandated by federal law for healthcare unions. While this advance notice allows healthcare providers to develop contingency plans for patient care, it can also undermine the union’s leverage in negotiations.
Complex Battle for Public Opinion
Dan Bowling, a labor and employment professor at Duke University, highlights the importance of public opinion in such disputes. He notes, “Patient care is how you win the war of public opinion.” Kaiser can argue that the striking workers are abandoning their patients, potentially swaying public opinion in their favor. Conversely, the union faces a more challenging task in convincing the public that their strike is in the interest of patient care.
A Wave of Labor Disputes
The Kaiser strike is part of a wave of high-profile labor disputes, fueled by a tight labor market, high inflation, and record corporate profits. The United Auto Workers have been engaged in a strike against Detroit automakers since September 14, demanding substantial raises and the end of job tiers. The Writers Guild of America recently reached a tentative agreement to conclude a five-month strike related to artificial intelligence and streaming pay. At the same time, SAG-AFTRA actors remain on picket lines. In Las Vegas, over 50,000 hospitality workers may soon go on strike due to staff cuts and increased workloads—similar concerns to those of healthcare workers.
Record-Breaking Strike
Notably, the Kaiser strike stands as the most significant labor action in the U.S., involving at least 20,000 more workers than any other strike recorded in Bloomberg Law’s database of work stoppages dating back to 1990. The previous largest strike involved 54,000 workers at the University of California in 2018. Kaiser Permanente has been involved in five of the 15 most significant strikes documented.
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