Pickets Line Sidewalks at Kaiser Permanente

The lines of red-shirted health care unionists were out at a busy intersection in Walnut Creek Tuesday, drawing some appreciative honks and at least one obscene gesture from motorists going by.

for the National Union of Healthcare Workers at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Walnut Creek, and at many other Kaiser facilities around California. NUHW was joined on the picket line by members of the larger, politically powerful California Nurses Association.

The union didn't go into contract negotiations looking for a wage increase, said Dr. Spencer Gross, a psychologist. The number one issue was staffing, said Gross, a steward of the Integrated Behavior Health Services chapter/NUHW at the Kaiser Permanente outpatient facility in Pleasanton. Also, once negotiations began, Kaiser management opened the issue of cutting UNHW benefits, Gross said.
 
It's common in his facility to have a patient in for psychotherapy a first time, and then not be able to schedule a followup appointment for three or four weeks, because of short staffing, Gross said. The staffing crunch leads too many people to be referred into group therapy, Gross said — "It's good for some people but it's not one-size-fits-all."

Speaking for Kaiser Permanente via an emailed statement was Gay Westfall, senior vice president of human resources. "Quality and safety are Kaiser Permanente's top priorities," said Westfall. "We are recognized nationally and internationally for providing high-quality health care and service."

Westfall said Kaiser has been bargaining in good faith with NUHW for more than a year. "KP has demonstrated throughout its history that it is committed to providing its employees with highly desirable, market-leading salary and benefits," said Westfall.

She said Kaiser would continue "to provide our members and patients with high-quality health care and service from a fully staffed team."

There were about 70 on the picket line at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek at 11:20 a.m. Tuesday. They chanted:

• "What's it all about?"
• "Patient care."
• "Why are you all here?"
• "Patient care."

They carried signs:

• "CEO wealth denies us health."
• "Safe staffing now."
• "Kaiser care delayed, care denied."

Gross said the tactic of a series of one-day strikes was borrowed and adapted from a campaign the California Nurses Association conducted in 1998. It doesn't inconvenience and hurt patient care, Gross said, and "it kind of gives Kaiser a chance to think about things."