Kaiser strike 2023: Why did 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers go on strike? Know their demands
Three-day strike
Headquartered in Oakland, California, Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare providers in the US. It serves nearly 13 million patients annually. The workers have gone on strike for three days, except for Virginia and Washington D.C., where the strike will be for only 24 hours.
Strike begins Wednesday morning
The strike began at 6 a.m. local time Wednesday morning and the pharmacists and optometrists in Washington D.C. and Virginia were the first to go on strike. Kaiser Permanente employees joined the picket line at Kaiser's Springfield Medical Center in Virginia soon after the strike began. They were followed by healthcare workers in Colorado and on the West Coast.
Alternative arrangement
In an attempt to provide patients with healthcare services, Kaiser has said that non-emergency and elective services may be rescheduled. It has also expanded its network of pharmacy locations to include community pharmacies. The hospital has said that patients can access medication in the event that outpatient pharmacies temporarily close.
Kaiser has also said that its hospitals and emergency departments will remain open throughout the strike. According to the organization, about 60% of Kaiser employees, including doctors, will be working during the strike.
After the Hollywood writers and the ongoing actors and the United Auto Workers strike, healthcare professionals are the latest group of crucial workers to go on strike.
Agreement expires
The strike became evident after the agreement for employees represented by a coalition of unions expired on September 30 without a new agreement in place. The unions and Kaiser executives still disagree on key sticking points, including wages.
