Kaiser Permanente Workers Take Strike Action to Address Severe Staffing Crisis
Years of Unaddressed Understaffing Issues Come to a Head
For years, employees of Kaiser Permanente raised concerns about inadequate staffing levels negatively impacting patient care and employee wellbeing. However, negotiations with management failed to enact meaningful changes to solve chronic understaffing problems. Union surveys of Kaiser workers dating back to 2018 consistently showed high levels of burnout as staff struggled with overwhelming workloads. Mandatory overtime and cancelled vacation time became commonplace as facilities operated well below optimal staffing levels.
The pandemic exacerbated existing issues as healthcare demand surged. Frontline staff faced trauma from COVID-19 deaths while also risking exposure to the virus with inadequate protective equipment in some ...