© Reuters. The newly built Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center hospital is pictured in San Diego, California, U.S., April 17, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
(Reuters) -The coalition of unions representing health care workers at Kaiser Permanente said late on Saturday that a new deal with the health care provider is unlikely as its current contract expires and unions They are preparing for a strike.
The Kaiser Permanente Coalition of Unions affirmed this, and the company stayed away on important issues.
Kaiser Permanenete said it continues to negotiate with the union and that work stoppages will not begin until October 4.
“We remain optimistic that we will reach an agreement and avoid an unnecessary strike, which the Coalition unions have called from Wednesday morning, October 4,” he said in a statement emailed to Reuters.
In early September, more than 75,000 Kaiser healthcare workers called for a strike from October 4 to 7 in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington DC, in what would be the largest healthcare worker strike. , according to the coalition.
Coalition workers demand a solution to the staffing shortage crisis, a pay increase and improved health plans.
A tight U.S. labor market, expiring union contracts and high costs of living have led to tough negotiations for wage increases and benefits for workers and sparked strikes and protests across industries.
Nearly 309,700 workers have been involved in work stoppages and strikes through August of this year, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, putting 2023 on track to become the year with the most strike activity since 2019.
Auto workers in the United States have also been on strike against the three Detroit automakers, Ford (NYSE General Motors (NYSE ) and Chrysler parent Stellantis (NYSE ).
