The union representing about 2,400 mental health workers in Southern California (316 in San Diego County) filed a strike notice with Kaiser Permanente on Friday, telling the employer to begin an “indefinite” strike starting Oct. 21. notified of its intention to do so. .
The National Health Care Workers Union represents a wide range of mental health care professionals, including Kaiser psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, addiction treatment counselors, certified clinical counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
In a statement, the union said the strike was necessary for a variety of reasons, from wages to benefits. Preparation time, or the amount of time workers are given to complete paperwork and create treatment plans, has long been a topic of debate. Kaiser mental health workers in Northern California spend seven hours a week preparing, compared to just two hours in Southern California, the union said.
The union also says Kaiser pays its professionals “up to 40 percent less than non-mental health workers whose jobs require fewer education and licensing requirements.” Pensions are also a concern, with the union stating that aside from a small number of pharmacists, “mental health professionals in Southern California hired since 2014 are the only Kaiser employees in California who do not receive a pension.” ” states.
Kaiser released its own statement Friday morning, saying administrative time requests “could result in full-time therapists not spending more than 40% of their workweek seeing patients.” The state’s largest health care provider also disagrees with the idea that mental health workers are underpaid, saying the company’s contract offers “are already “Not only will we raise wages 18% above market, but we will also strengthen comprehensive benefits for our mental health.” Professionals enjoy the extra time therapists spend outside of their patients planning and preparing. ”
Kaiser said he expects hospitals, emergency departments and clinics to remain open in the event of a strike. Kaiser has recently come under pressure from the state to improve the mental health care services it provides to its members. California’s Department of Managed Care Care fined Kaiser $50 million in 2023, forcing the provider to hire outside consultants to “ensure enrollees receive medically necessary behavioral health services in a timely manner.” “So that there is a focus on corrective action.”
