WASHINGTON – Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA) workers are set to strike on Nov. 1 unless a new negotiated contract is reached by midnight on Oct. 31.
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union that represents KPWA. Union and member leaders of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW represent approximately 3,000 healthcare workers around the state.
Workers overwhelmingly voted 99% in favor of authorizing a strike on Nov. 1 due to, “the corporation’s bad-faith bargaining, unfair labor practices, and refusal to address chronic short-staffing concerns,” SEIU Healthcare 1199NW said in a release.
There have been negotiations since June, with KPWA fighting for strong contract protections for workers and patients.
“Healthcare workers like myself and my colleagues see a strike as an absolute last resort,” said Marie Neumayer, a medical assistant in Spokane, a rank-and-file vice president with SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and a member leader of the KPWA bargaining team. “We want to take care of our patients. But we see this as a needed response to Kaiser Washington executives’ unwillingness to reach a fair contract that addresses workers’ concerns and prioritizes patient care.”
KPWA workers continue negotiating a separate contract to urgently and rapidly address staffing shortages, including faster and more significant wage increases.
