The union representing nearly 2,400 mental health workers in Southern California, including 316 in San Diego County, has issued a strike notice to Kaiser Permanente, notifying their employer of their intention to begin an “indefinite” strike starting on October 21. The National Union of Health Workers represents a variety of mental health specialists, including psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, addiction medicine counselors, licensed clinical counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
The union cites various reasons for the strike, including concerns about salaries, benefits, and work conditions. One major point of contention is the amount of preparation time given to workers to handle paperwork and treatment plans, with workers in Northern California receiving seven hours per week compared to just two in Southern California. Additionally, the union claims that mental health professionals at Kaiser in Southern California are paid up to 40% less than non-mental health caregivers with lower education and licensing requirements.
Kaiser has pushed back against these claims, stating that increasing administrative time could result in therapists spending a significant amount of their week without seeing patients. The healthcare provider also argues that their contract offer includes salary increases, which are already 18% above the market average, and improvements to benefits.
Kaiser plans to keep its hospitals, emergency departments, and medical offices open in the event of a strike. The healthcare provider has recently faced pressure from the state to improve mental health services for its members and was fined $50 million in 2023 for failing to provide timely access to necessary behavioral health services.
The strike comes as mental health workers continue to raise concerns about their pay, benefits, and working conditions, highlighting the ongoing challenges within the healthcare industry.
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