Kaiser mental health workers are preparing to strike, this time in Southern California

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California mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente are preparing to strike for the second time in more than two years, citing stressful working conditions, lack of pensions and inadequate pay — with consequences for patient care.

The National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents about 2,400 people Kaiser Permanente Southern California health workers, on Thursday officially advised the health care agency that its members will begin an open strike on Oct. 21.

The union and the company have until that time to make an agreement that will prevent the strike. Kaiser said in a written statement that it is making “necessary preparations” for patients to receive care in the event of a strike.

“Patients will have the opportunity to be seen by another specialist in our extensive network if their regular provider participates in the referral process,” the statement said. “If changes are needed, we will let people know in advance.”

The last Kaiser mental health strike, involving mental health workers in Northern California, took place in 2022 and lasted about 10 weeks. Those workers eventually won some concessions. , such as higher wages and more hours each week to handle patient care tasks such as charting and answering emails.

Southern California mental health workers say they are now asking Kaiser to match what their colleagues upstate are getting.

Kaiser representatives, in an emailed statement, said they are making a strong proposal that increases earnings by 18% over four years and improves “industry leading” benefits with an improved retiree medical plan. work. They said they invested more than a billion dollars to expand mental health capacity in California and increased the number of licensed mental health therapists in Southern California by 30% in the past four years.

Kaiser officials referred to the threat of a strike as a frequently used negotiating tactic and said the union had appeared determined to strike since negotiations began in July.

“Kaiser Permanente is committed to our mission of building the best model of mental health care for our members and the communities we serve,” the statement said.

Change among mental health workers

But union organizers say the company is doing nothing of the sort, and is essentially failing to bring a meaningful solution to the negotiating table.

They note that a quarter of the 1,508 doctors hired by Kaiser Southern California between January 2021 and August 2024 have since left. Some of them took well-paying jobs to provide real-world treatment for Kaiser Northern California patients, they said. Among the differences between the two – mental health workers in Northern California receive a pension; those in Southern California are not.

Kassaundra Gutierrez–Thompson, a consultant psychiatrist in Los Angeles who has run Kaiser’s virtual ADAPT program for two years, says she doesn’t have time for bathroom breaks. He sees 14 patients a day, he said; some of his colleagues see even more. She said that during each half-hour session, she is expected to provide treatment, schedule the next appointment, fill out the patient’s chart, and squeeze in a bathroom break if necessary. .

The stress of the job has given him migraines, he says, “my mental health has diminished.” Some of his colleagues report nightmares of depression and panic, he said.

He said: “It has become a factory for our nurses who feel very tired, and it is also a factory for our patients.”

Kaiser Permanente mental health

The union issued the strike notice shortly before the anniversary of another milestone in the fight for mental health care at Kaiser.

Last year, Kaiser entered into a $200 million settlement with the state of California, agreeing to pay a $50 million settlement and invest another $150 million over five years to fix significant problems with the system. its health.

Representatives of the National Association of Health Care Workers say the health giant still has not finalized a plan of reform with the Department of Health Care.

A Kaiser representative said the company is working on that plan. “At the same time, we started our path of change more than a year ago and we have made progress, although we know that there is still a lot of work to be done. We are still willing to work with (the department ) to meet the needs of our members and the community, and to address the agency’s findings as the health care sector continues to address challenges related to mental health demand and access,” the company said. such as a written letter. a statement.

Meanwhile, said Fred Seavey, director of research for the National Union of Healthcare Workers, many scholars report continued violations of the same laws that got the Kaiser into trouble.

He said: “We don’t understand why Kaiser was allowed to break the law a year later. “How long will these violations continue? Why didn’t they reprimand them?”

Lisa Carroll, a social worker in the intensive care unit at Kaiser’s San Diego Medical Center, said she has seen a “constant deterioration in care” at the company during her 17 years working there. He said he went on strike many times during that time.

He said: “I am retiring after a year and a half. “I want to know that things are at least as good as when I came here. Which they are not.”