The union representing Kaiser Permanente mental health therapists about to enter their seventh week of striking said members “resoundingly rejected a contract offer” from Kaiser.
Workers in Northern California and the Central Valley went on strike Aug. 15. Leaders of the National Union of Healthcare Workers said Sunday the final tally was 1,349 to 222 to reject the latest contract offer.
The union said it hopes the vote will jumpstart negotiations after Kaiser left the bargaining table nearly two weeks ago confident that its therapists would accept its offer.
“We presented Kaiser officials detailed proposals to increase staffing and improve access to care in the first negotiating session 14 months ago, and we won’t accept a contract that ignores those issues,” Ilana Marcucci-Morris, a Kaiser therapist and a member of the union’s bargaining team. “At this point, Kaiser executives can’t have any misconceptions about what it will take to secure a contract. We’re ready to negotiate around the clock to get an agreement signed as quickly as possible. It’s time for Kaiser to return to the bargaining table and end this strike.”
Workers want increased staffing and improved access to care for patients who sometimes must wait months for therapy appointments. Both sides have agreed to wage increase, but the union also wants therapists to have more time to see returning patients and perform all of their patient care duties.
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Six weeks on strike?
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So that means that patients have not been provided ANY therapy for at least six weeks.
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This is crazy! It runs counter to providing “healthcare”, right?
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GET BACK TO WORK!!
They were over worked. Kaiser refused to fill openings.
Doh … actually Kaisar had been trying to add staff in almost all depts for over a year – I’ve been searching the job openings online for certain jobs for a long time … they just haven’t had any takers….
Kaiser was notified prior to the strike so they had time to tire temporary therapists.
7 weeks on strike..obviously they aren’t missed…
See ya!
.. give them a back to work date – they they’re will need to re-apply and Kaiser begin hiring from outside … if they are 7 weeks without pay then they aren’t hurting that bad
therapy is crap anyways they don’t give a damn about you really and are just there for a paycheck but hey everyone has to make living somehow. I hope they get fired.
You have NO clue what you are talking about!
That is correct you do not know what you are talking about, Try having some empathy.
I wasn’t aware the rapists could go on strike….. I didn’t even know they had a union.
Get back to work and quit your wining.I’m sure it boils down to you thinking your overworked.Hopefully you aren’t getting paid while you are on strike.I have friends that worked for Kaiser you have it made.
@Old Timer….That pushing a pencil around a desk can be exhausting, oh, I mean looking at a monitor and typing on a keyboard. All the “doctors” (half my age) I see now wouldn’t know which end of a shovel to use. God forbid they get a blister or labor outside for a living.