BAKERSFIELD, Ca. (KERO) — 23ABC spoke to members of the strike and received a statement from the healthcare provider about the demonstration on Thursday as the strike continued through its tenth day.
- The strike, which is organized by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, began on Oct. 21 and has affected Kaiser Permanente facilities in Southern California and Kern County.
- Kaiser Permanente issued a statement calling the open-ended strike, "the union's unproductive bargaining tactic," noting they intend on maintaining an open line of negotiations with the union. The healthcare provider shared highlights of its most recent contract proposal which includes higher pay, retirement benefits and income updates, as well as tuition reimbursement and student loan assistance.
- Mayra Castro, a therapist for Kaiser participating in the strike, said while Kaiser is offering proposals she says they don't go far enough to help those striking help their patients. Castro says the union is asking for more staff, more time and equitable benefits as part of their request.
- Members of the strike say this is open-ended and they will continue to demonstrate as long as it takes to receive what they perceive as a fair deal.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Professionals continue their open-ended strike as they look for a new contract.
The strike started on October 21st and is impacting Kaiser Permanente Facilities across southern California and Kern County.
According to a release from the medical care provider, the demonstration is organized by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
A spokesperson at the local demonstration, Mayra Castro, a therapist for Kaiser, says while the provider is offering a new contract it doesn't meet what strikers feel is a fair deal.
"Kaiser says they're meeting us at the table that they're giving us proposals, but the proposals are just not meeting the needs that we need to provide these services to our patients."
Kaiser Permanente addresses the open-ended strike in the release saying this is "the union's unproductive bargaining tactic," and they will continue to keep an open line of negotiations with the union adding they have "worked to minimize potential disruptions," as a result of the strike.
The medical provider also highlighted various pieces of its current contract proposal to the union including higher wages, retirement medical benefits and income, as well as tuition reimbursement and student loan assistance.
Castro says right now, the lynchpin of the strike is more staff, time, and equitable benefits.
"In order to provide quality patient care, we need more therapists, more staff, we need more time to do duties outside of sessions and were also asking for equity, so we're asking for kaiser to provide us with the same type of benefits that our counterparts have."
Members of the strike, they say they'll continue to picket here at the corner of California Ave and Marella Way every Thursday until NUHW and Kaiser Permanente are able to come to what they deem a fair deal.
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