Day 5: Kaiser mental health strike
We had a fantastic finish to the first week of the strike. On KQED Forum, the Bay Area’s leading public affairs show, clinicians Naomi Johnson and Ilana Marcucc-Morris spoke eloquently about the struggles patients face getting care in the Kaiser system. And their words were supported by caller after caller to the show: Please give a listen.
Shortly after the radio show ended, more than 200 hundred of us marched down Broadway for a rally outside Kaiser headquarters with a news chopper following overhead.
Laura Bramble, a Kaiser patient who has struggled to access care, gave a brave and passionate speech, expressing her support for our strike and sharing a few choice words for Dr. Sameer Awsare for his pre-recorded video expressing outrage about our strike instead of the long waits for care that patients endure.
Also speaking at the rally was State Sen. Scott Wiener, who minced no words about Kaiser violating the timely access to mental health care law that he authored and NUHW sponsored.
Meanwhile, Kaiser is refusing to answer questions about its mental health system, hiding behind dishonest press releases that claim clinicians want to see their patients less frequently.
You can see more photos below, media coverage here, and our picket schedule through September 2 here.
Two reminders:
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
If you need 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.
We know an open-ended strike involves a lot of sacrifice and hard work. But it’s been so rewarding to see so many people on the picket line this week and so much support from community members and Kaiser patients who understand how important it is that we win.
And we will win!
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