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7,000 more CA healthcare workers overwhelmingly vote to approve a strike at Kaiser Permanente, including 4,500 in San Diego
Largest single-employer union negotiation in the U.S. inches closer to strike over unfair labor practices
Healthcare workers say Kaiser’s refusal to acknowledge under-staffing, decline in patient care is driving a growing crisis
SAN DIEGO, CA – 4,500 San Diego healthcare workers who are part of OPEIU Local 30 announced on Wednesday that they have voted to authorize a strike to protest unfair labor practices by a margin of 99% if no agreement is reached by September 30. Simultaneously, 2,500 healthcare workers belonging to OPEIU Local 29 in the Bay Area have also announced their authorization of a strike underscoring the widespread concerns of short staffing and unfair labor practices with an equally commanding margin of 94% should negotiations remain unresolved by the same September 30th deadline.
This comes on the heels of nearly 70,000 SEIU and OPEIU members in Colorado, California, Oregon, Southwest Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland voting to authorize a strike at Kaiser Permanente in the past two weeks. These two decisive votes of OPEIU Local 30 and OPEIU Local 29 are the last to be completed before the coalition enters the final scheduled negotiations with Kaiser, concluding this Friday, September 22.
This could be the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history, as workers say Kaiser executives refuse to acknowledge the decline in patient service and care and negate the struggle of the workforce to keep up with the high cost of living in areas where Kaiser operates.
Prioritize your pet’s health affordably for National Pet Health Insurance Month
September is National Pet Health Insurance Month and a great time to prioritize your pet’s health – without breaking the bank! Union members – explore affordable pet insurance coverage starting at $10/month or less. Your pet’s wellness is worth it – get a quote now!
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Nearly 4,000 D.C., Virginia, and Maryland healthcare workers overwhelmingly vote to approve a strike at Kaiser Permanente
Largest single-employer union negotiation in the U.S. inches closer to strike over unfair labor practices
Healthcare workers say Kaiser’s refusal to acknowledge under-staffing, decline in patient care is driving a growing crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – 3,800 D.C., Virginia, and Maryland healthcare workers who are part of OPEIU Local 2 announced on Monday that they have voted to authorize a strike to protest unfair labor practices by a margin of 98 percent if no agreement is reached by September 30. This comes on the heels of nearly 65,000 SEIU members in Colorado, California, Oregon, and Southwest Washington voting to authorize a strike at Kaiser Permanente in the past two weeks.
This could be the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history, as workers say Kaiser executives refuse to acknowledge the decline in patient service and care and negate the struggle of the workforce to keep up with the high cost of living in areas where Kaiser operates.
“We’ve been raising the alarm about patient safety, but Kaiser isn’t hearing us. Kaiser executives keep refusing to listen to frontline healthcare workers on the issues that impact the care of our patients, and they’re violating the law by failing to bargain in good faith,” said Katrina Schaetz, OB-GYN clinical assistant. “We are standing up for more staff and better patient care. If Kaiser doesn’t stop committing unfair labor practices, healthcare workers are prepared to go on strike.”
JOIN THE STARBUCKS WORKERS UNITED DAY OF ACTION
On Thursday, Sept. 14, Starbucks Workers United is calling upon community supporters to join the fight to help Starbucks workers win a fair first contract. Visit their website to join an action near you!
Kaiser Health Care Workers Voting on Strike Authorization
Tens of thousands of workers at Kaiser Permanente hospitals and clinics across the country are voting on whether to authorize a strike. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which includes a dozen local unions, said a strike would start no earlier than Oct. 1. More than 80,000 employees are represented by the coalition, including the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), which represents some 12,000 Kaiser employees. If a strike moves forward, it would be the largest strike of health care workers in the history of the country. Union members are pushing for safe staffing levels to protect nurses and patients.
“Patient care is in crisis at Kaiser Permanente,” said Linda Bridges, president of OPEIU Local 2 in Silver Spring, Maryland. “Staffing was decimated during the pandemic and it has not gotten any better. The problem we’re dealing with is Kaiser is not hearing us. Kaiser can and must do better….They need to stop the unfair labor practices and address the healthcare staffing needs now.”
New Degree Programs Added to Your OPEIU Discount College Benefit!
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Learn more about OPEIU’s Discount College benefit here and click on the EDVANCE Union College Benefit link
Nonprofit Workers at International Rescue Committee Announce Union in Dallas
DALLAS, TX – Approximately 80 employees at the national nonprofit organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) announced the formation of their union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 277.
The employees who provide a broad slate of services to refugees and asylum seekers in the resettlement process presented a letter to the Dallas office Executive Director, Shalaina Abioye on Wednesday requesting that the organization voluntarily recognize their union, IRC Workers Unite.
“An overwhelming majority of us have signed union cards and come forward because, as the staff that provide IRC services on the frontlines, we understand this work the best,” said Zarifa Barkatullah, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Coordinator. “We see this as an opportunity for leadership to partner with us to improve our work and better achieve our vital mission.”
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Message produced and initiated by Union Privilege, 1100 First Street, NE, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20002. CA license #0E89960; NY license #1058096. Farmers Insurance Choice is used by agents, like Farmers General Insurance Agency, Inc. (CA License #0D25399) to provide a choice of providers, not just Farmers GroupSelect companies. Insurance is underwritten by Farmers Property and Casualty Insurance or certain of its affiliates: Economy Fire & Casualty Company, Economy Preferred Insurance Company, Farmers Casualty Insurance Company, Farmers Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Farmers Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, or Farmers Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI. List…
Happy Labor Day
This Labor Day weekend, we’re reflecting on the unprecedented opportunities and challenges faced by workers and their unions.
Across generations, unions remain widely popular, with majorities in every age bracket reporting they’d sign a union card. Workers across industries – from credit unions and nonprofits to tech companies and healthcare facilities – are filing for union elections at record levels.
Last year, more workers joined unions than the two previous years combined. This year, at the 29th OPEIU Convention, convention delegates reaffirmed our union’s commitment to organizing the unorganized to bolster these numbers even further. The momentum and power we’ve collectively built in the past year has helped workers across the country realize and harness their own power in the workplace, giving them a bigger say over their futures.
We look forward to building upon this momentum even further in pursuit of our shared goals: economic, racial and social justice at work and in our communities. And we wish for you and your family a wonderful Labor Day.
In solidarity,
Team OPEIU
AFL-CIO’s Shuler: State of the Unions is Strong with Record Public Support, Unprecedented Activism and Organizing this Labor Day
88% of people under 30 view unions favorably—a record-breaking level of support from young workers
71% of Americans support unions—majorities of Republicans and Independents
Washington D.C.– Today, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond delivered an inaugural State of the Unions address where they released new polling which underscores the American people’s support of unions—especially that of young workers—and their view of unions as critical to growing the middle class and providing opportunities for working people to thrive. Additionally, both officers stressed that with this unprecedented level of support, working people in unions are prepared to organize like never before, hold big corporations accountable and restore America’s promise for all.
“The idea of a union may sound complicated, but in reality, unions are just a group of people coming together. They are about each of us becoming the most powerful version of ourselves that we possibly can,” said Shuler. “And there is nothing better than finding that power alongside the people we work with and being a part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s all a union is. It’s that simple. People in this country have been searching for their power for a long time now, young people especially.”
You can read President Shuler’s full remarks here.