After a 196-day strike, 2,400 mental health workers from Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, secured a groundbreaking contract. This strike was marked by various forms of protest, including picketing and hunger strikes, aimed at addressing Kaiser's alleged misconduct and inadequate patient care. The new contract, effective retroactively from October 1, 2024, offers a 20% raise, a defined benefit pension, and increased guaranteed time for patient care, marking a significant victory amidst a national mental healthcare crisis.
"There's no doubt that Kaiser remains hostile to mental health care and to us, they fought us every step of the way. But this is still the best contract we've ever won, even though it took us more than six months to win it."
"We didn't just regain a defined benefit pension, we got our biggest raises ever and more than double the amount of guaranteed time for patient care duties."
"These negotiations were like fighting a battle," said Adrianna Webb, a bargaining committee member and medical social worker at Panorama City in Los Angeles.
"In a time of an acute national mental healthcare crisis, winning significant gains not just for themselves but for their patients truly highlights the importance of this strike."
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