Day 4: Kaiser mental health strike
We had two big highlights today. In Fresno, we attended Gov. Newsom’s press conference announcing his Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. The governor briefly acknowledged us during his remarks, and we handed out leaflets to reporters covering the event.
And in Sacramento Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, issued a strong statement in support of our strike:
“I strongly support the National Union of Healthcare Workers and applaud their courageous decision to strike and call attention to the challenges too many Californians face when trying to access much needed mental health services. … Kaiser has a duty to deliver high-quality services to the millions of Californians who rely on their care. I strongly urge Kaiser to work with NUHW and find ways to improve access to mental health services and alleviate the burdens clinicians face as they attempt to treat their patients.”
With our support growing, it’s important for everyone to keep showing up on the picket lines to demonstrate our determination to win this fight. Below you can see photos from today’s picket lines, here you can read the latest media coverage of our strike, including a live interview on the Majority Report (50.50 mark), and here you can get a full list of scheduled picket lines through September 2.
FRIDAY MARCH AND RALLY IN OAKLAND
We’re holding our biggest action of the week Friday in Oakland. Help us fill the plaza around Kaiser headquarters for a rally with Kaiser patients, community allies, and elected leaders including State Sen. Scott Wiener.
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At 10:30 a.m., we’ll start marching from the Kaiser Medical Center, 3600 Broadway.
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The 1-mile march will go down Broadway into Downtown Oakland.
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The march will end at Kaiser Headquarters, 1 Kaiser Plaza for the 12p.m. rally.
Lunch will be served after the rally, and anyone who can’t attend the march is welcomed to head straight for the rally at Kaiser headquarters.
For people in the Sacramento region, there will be a chartered bus to Oakland leaving at 7 a.m. from the Mace Park n Ride Lot, 2629 Co Rd 32A, Davis.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Two clinicians will be KQED Radio’s Forum program Friday between 9 and 10 a.m.
Even on the picket line, you can tune in to hear your colleagues talk about the strike and rebut Kaiser’s lies. Go to https://www.kqed.org/forum and click on “Listen live.”
Help document Kaiser’s failure to provide timely care
We need to help document Kaiser’s failure to provide timely care. If you have evidence of illegally delayed care or mass cancellations during the strike (for instance, evidence from non-NUHW Kaiser employees who are still working), please send that information to research@nuhw.org.
Financial support
For anyone needing financial support to sustain the strike, please fill out the form at nuhw.org/tempinfo. We can discuss a number of options, including possible temporary per diem work with behavioral health practices we’ve reached out to.
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