SEIU-UHW: 40,000 Healthcare Workers in Northern CA Approve Sympathy Strike to Support Kaiser Engineers

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare workers representing SEIU-UHW's 36,000 Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California have voted to authorize a one-day sympathy strike in solidarity with Kaiser engineers from Local 39 who have been on strike for two months. The sympathy strike will start on Thursday, November 18 at 7 a.m. at various Kaiser facilities across the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Central Valley.

"We voted by a 97% margin in support of a sympathy strike with the engineers of Local 39 to help them achieve a fair contract. We understand how disrespected they feel by Kaiser's unfair labor practices," said Georgette Bradford, an ultrasound technologist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Sacramento. "We see it every day when there's not enough staff in our units to care for patients safely. Kaiser is putting its drive for profits over people, to the detriment of our patients and co-workers."

SEIU-UHW members join OPEIU Local 29, IFPTE Local 20 and other unions in demanding that Kaiser stop its anti-union tactics and agree to a fair contract with Local 39. All three unions have picketed alongside the striking engineers of Local 39 in recent weeks.

"We're embarrassed that Kaiser has dragged the engineers strike on for 8 weeks," said Kundra Vaughn, pharmacy technician and OPEIU Local 29 member at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center. "Kaiser is supposed to be the labor-friendly health plan. They have lost their way."

"It's time for all Kaiser workers to come together and say, 'enough is enough,'" said Shae Schopp, supervisor clinical lab scientist and member of IFPTE Local 20.

Jobs affected by the strike vote include optometrists, clinical laboratory scientists, respiratory and x-ray technicians, licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, surgical technicians, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomists, medical assistants, and housekeepers, among hundreds of other positions.  

Sympathy strikes will take place at the following locations starting at 7 a.m. on November 18:

• ANTIOCH: Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center, 4501 Sand Creek Rd, Antioch CA 94531
• FREMONT: Kaiser Permanente Fremont Medical Center, 39400 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538
• FRESNO: Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center, 7300 N Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93720
• MANTECA: Kaiser Permanente Manteca Medical Center, 1777 W. Yosemite Avenue, Manteca, 95337
• MODESTO: Kaiser Permanente Modesto Medical Center, 4601 Dale Road, Modesto, CA 95356
• OAKLAND: Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, 3600 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
• REDWOOD CITY: Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, 1150 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94063
• RICHMOND: Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center, 901 Nevin Ave., Richmond, CA 94801
• ROSEVILLE: Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center, 1600 Eureka Rd, Roseville, CA 95661
• SACRAMENTO: Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center, 2025 Morse Ave, Sacramento, 95825
• SOUTH SACRAMENTO: Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, 6600 Bruceville Road, Sacramento, CA 95823
• SAN FRANCISCO: Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, 2425 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA
• SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO: Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center, 1200 El Camino Real, S. San Francisco, CA 94080
• SAN JOSE: Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, 250 Hospital Parkway, San Jose, CA 95119
• SAN LEANDRO: Kaiser Permanente San Leandro Medical Center, 2500 Merced St, San Leandro, CA 94577
• SANTA CLARA: Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, 710 Lawrence Expressway, Santa Clara CA 95051
• SANTA ROSA: Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, 95403
• STOCKTON: Kaiser Permanente Stockton Medical Center, 7373 West Lane, Stockton CA 95210
• VACAVILLE: Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center, 1 Quality Dr, Vacaville, CA 95688
• VALLEJO: Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, 975 Sereno Drive, Vallejo, CA 94589
• WALNUT CREEK: Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, 1425 S Main St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Despite being a non-profit organization – which means it pays no income taxes on its earnings and extremely limited property taxes – Kaiser Permanente reported a net income of $6.4 billion in 2020.

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 100,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. 

Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 29 is a dynamic, respected labor organization, dedicated to improving the working conditions of office, technical, professional, and health care employees.

The Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE AFL-CIO & CLC is a dynamic, democratic, and activist union that represents more than 8,000 licensed engineers, scientists, licensed healthcare professionals, and attorneys.

SOURCE SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West

Related Links

http://www.seiu-usww.org