BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Thousands of nurses and frontline health care workers across California, with the United Nurses Associations of California, started a five-day strike Tuesday at Kaiser Permanente facilities. The workers say they're fighting not just for better pay, but for the future of patient care.
"We want to make sure that we have enough nurses at the frontline to be able to do the work that needs to be done to provide quality patient care," said Grace Bidin, a registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente.
Bidin says she and fellow health care workers feel they are understaffed and that Kaiser management is unwilling to bargain with them.
"I am part of the bargaining team, and we were there in Pasadena for a week, and they never showed up," Bidin said.
Melanie Claro, a nurse practitioner at Kaiser Permanente, echoed those concerns about patient safety.
"What we are asking for really is the fair contract, it's for the safety of our patients and our safety as well," Claro said.
Officials with Kaiser argue the dispute is primarily about wages, not staffing and patient safety. The company says its workers make 16% above market rates and that it has offered a 21.5% raise over four years, while the union is pushing for 25%.
A statement from Kaiser reads in part: "We will continue providing the care our members rely on while honoring employees and protecting patients."
Kaiser health care workers stand by their message that their demands benefit their patients and the community as well.
"When you say you value us, when you say that we are heroes until we're not. So show us, not just words, give it an action, please," Claro said.
Kaiser warns that higher wage demands could drive up health care costs for patients, and says it's prepared to keep hospitals open during the strike with contingency staff.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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