Kaiser mental health strike: Sept. 1
RNs joined us on picket lines throughout Northern California, making for a great display of solidarity in our facilities. Local reporters covered our pickets in San Leandro, San Rafael, and Hilo, Hawaii, and UC Berkeley’s Daily Cal published an op-ed by NUHW President Sal Rosselli. See below for photos from today’s picket lines and click here the latest media coverage.
Letter to Newsom’s Health Secretary
It has been a week since the California Department of Managed Health Care announced a new investigation into Kaiser canceling therapy appointments and delaying care during the strike. Today, several striking clinicians delivered a letter to Mark Ghaly, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, demanding immediate action to enforce state law and make Kaiser arrange for patients to get their scheduled care with outside providers. Included with the letter were links to NUHW’s recent correspondence with the DMHC regarding complaints we’ve filed.
If the DMHC, which is under Ghaly’s oversight, doesn’t ramp up its enforcement activities, we’ll protest outside the agency’s office in Sacramento next week.
Join Us: Labor Day Rally and Picnic in Oakland
We’re gearing up for a big Labor Day Rally and Picnic in Oakland. If you’re in the area, please bring your friends and family for some picketing and a big rally with patients and elected officials followed by a fun picnic at Mosswood Park across the street from the Oakland Medical Center.
If you’ve been working during the strike, join us on your day off Monday. The picnic will be a good chance to connect with colleagues and decide whether to join the strike to put us in the strongest position possible to speedily win a contract that meets our needs and helps patients access care.
RSVP here: nuhw.org/rsvplaborday using your unique ID.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Labor Day Rally and Picnic with friends, family and community allies.
WHEN: Arrive at 10:30 a.m., Rally at 11:30, picnic to follow rally.
WHERE: Picketing and rally outside Oakland Medical Center, 3600 Broadway. Picnic with lots of food from local barbecue restaurants and cold drinks will be across the street at Mosswood Park.
RSVP: RSVP here and register using your unique id.
Financial hardship
We have compiled a Hardship Fund FAQ explaining how to access or contribute to the more than 20 hardship funds that have been set up by clinicians at different locations. Dozens of people have already received assistance from these funds, which are growing every day. The centralized NUHW fund has been getting donations and we are in the process of disbursing that money to the local funds.
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 that have been in contact with us.