Kaiser mental health workers strike over staffing crisis in California
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — More than 2,400 mental health professionals at Kaiser Permanente facilities in Southern California have commenced an open-ended strike over critical staffing shortages and increased workloads.
The striking psychologists, therapists, social workers, and other mental health workers are demanding solutions to these problems, which their union claims have resulted in a “substandard” system of care.
The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), which represents these employees, is currently negotiating a new contract with the Oakland-based healthcare giant. The union emphasizes that hiring additional staff is crucial to easing the current burden on workers, which has been exacerbated by high patient loads and insufficient support.
Union vs. Kaiser: Negotiation stalemate
Kaiser Permanente has accused the union of “slow-walking” negotiations despite presenting what it considers strong proposals. The company described the union’s demands as “overreaching and unreasonable,” suggesting that they would negatively impact patient care by reducing available appointment times.
Picket lines have been established at Kaiser facilities across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Antonia Rodarte, a licensed marriage and family therapist from Bakersfield, voiced concerns about increasing burnout among colleagues.
“We are seeing that burnout is getting worse and worse among our colleagues. People are quitting. They can’t keep up with the workload,” Rodarte stated, criticizing Kaiser for emphasizing patient numbers over quality care.
Impact on patient care
Natalie Espinoza, a psychiatric counselor, highlighted the immense strain on workers who manage up to 10 patients daily without adequate breaks or time for necessary documentation. Workers prepared for the strike over the weekend after declining Kaiser’s terms.
Kaiser has labeled the strike as “entirely unnecessary,” arguing that the union’s proposal to increase non-patient hours for full-time therapists would significantly decrease patient access to mental health care.
Historical context and current demands
This strike follows a similar action in Northern California last year, where a 10-week walkout ended with Kaiser agreeing to provide more time for patient care duties outside of appointments and increasing staffing levels. Southern California workers are now seeking similar improvements.
Democratic state Senator Maria Elena Durazo joined the LA picket line, advocating for equitable working conditions across California. “These workers are saying, ‘Hey, wait a minute. You do this in Northern California. How about the people in Southern California? Don’t we deserve the same kind of working conditions?'” Durazo remarked.
Kaiser has assured patients that they will be notified if their appointments are affected by the strike and offered alternatives within their extensive network of licensed therapists to ensure continuity of care during this period.
Last April, hundreds of nurses also held a protest over Kaiser’s increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in its San Francisco branch.
