WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KRON) — Almost 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers are set to strike nationwide this week. It would be the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history.
A three-day strike could start Oct. 4, including workers in Washington, Colorado, Oregon and almost 60,000 here in California. Around 20,000 of those California Kaiser workers are here in the Bay Area.
Their contract expired over the weekend, with union officials telling KRON there have been good discussions on a number of issues. However, for major issues like pay, the two parties remain far apart.
Overnight, Kaiser told its members it remains at the bargaining table and there is still a chance this strike may not happen. If it does, it will affect people’s medical plans.
In a message to members, Kaiser said:
“In the case of a strike, we may need to reschedule some nonurgent appointments and procedures. We’ll contact you in advance if your appointment needs to be rescheduled. It’s possible that you could experience longer wait and hold times during a strike. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.”
Kaiser Permanente
The battle has been going on for months. Now that contracts have expired, time will tell if this strike happens in the next 48 hours.
