Labor issues have come to the fore in numerous industries in 2023, with the UAW auto workers and Hollywood writers striking grabbing most of the headlines with their high-profile picketing.
But an industry that was crucial to getting the country through the Covid pandemic is experiencing labor unrest after a coalition of eight unions representing 75,000 employees saw their labor contract expire on Saturday night after months of failed negotiations.
Related: Tesla deliveries fall short of forecasts, but Musk maintains goal of 1.8 million by 2023
Employees at Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest health care operator that operates a hospital network with more than 300,000 employees at 39 hospitals, could strike Wednesday if a deal is not reached before then.
“The expiration of contracts does not mean that a strike will occur. “We remain optimistic that we will reach an agreement and avoid an unnecessary strike,” the company said. said CNN. “We have contingency plans to ensure members continue to receive safe, high-quality care for the duration of the strike.”
Meanwhile the SEIU-UHWrepresenting nearly 60,000 of the potentially striking workers, says Kaiser executives have been “negotiating in bad faith for solutions to Kaiser’s staffing shortage crisis” and that the union is fighting for the safety of its workers and patients .
More labor
- Salesforce CEO takes another bold stance on remote work
- The reaction of remote workers leads the company to reach an agreement with employees
- Amazon issues a harsh warning to workers
“Kaiser executives have failed to issue an economic proposal that adequately addresses Kaiser’s staffing shortage crisis,” said Caroline Lucas, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanent Unions.
“In fact, the current position of Kaiser executives will accelerate the staffing shortage crisis that is having disastrous consequences for patients within Kaiser’s network.”
His demands?
Workers want a minimum wage of $25 an hour, raises that keep up with inflation, an improvement in their benefits package and the hiring of more workers.
The union is seeking a four-year contract that raises wages by 7% during the first two years and 6.25% in the second half of the contract. They also want workers to be eligible for an annual performance bonus that would equal a percentage of their annual salary if they meet their goals.
Meanwhile, Kaiser says it has proposed a minimum bonus payment “to protect our employees from not receiving any pay,” but the bonuses would be dictated by employee performance as well as the hospital’s financial performance.
Kaiser has paid $276 million in bonuses over the past three years and another $800 million in aid for housing and child care and Covid-19 leave, according to USA Today. The company also says it pays above-market wages and has proposed a minimum wage of $21 an hour with a 14% wage increase over four years.
Get investment guidance from trusted portfolio managers with no management fees. Enroll in Action Alerts MORE now.
