They also want Kaiser to agree to higher cost of living for the next few years and commit to hiring more nurses as the coronavirus pandemic continues to weaken workers.
Kaiser and the Alliance of Health Unions, which represents 21 unions with more than 50,000 employees across the country, are continuing the negotiating process that has dragged on since April.
A Kaiser spokesman said the parties had made progress in many key areas and the company had “expanded an initial economic offering with wage increases and no consequences for the current pension plan or our excellent, market-leading services.”
“The proposed wage increases are on top of the already market-leading salaries and benefits our employees receive, as confirmed by independent wage surveys and government data compiled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” said Ravae Graham, a senior communications officer Advisor.
Graham said Kaiser’s priority was “to provide quality, safe care to our members.”
“In the event of a work stoppage, our facilities will be staffed by our doctors along with trained and experienced managers and emergency personnel,” said Graham. “Although we understand the negotiating tactics used, we believe we can come together and find a mutually beneficial solution.”
Under Georgia’s Right to Work Law, employees of a company are not required to join a union in order to find a job. Barnhart said UFCW Local in 1996 represents 2,450 health care workers and the Georgia technical emperor, excluding doctors and management, even if those workers choose not to be union members. Nationwide, the UFCW represents 1.3 million members in areas such as grocery and retail stores, food processing, and healthcare and manufacturing.
The news came three weeks after Kaiser colleagues in California and Oregon endorsed a similar strike.
“This is a time when companies like Kaiser Permanente should invest in our critical healthcare workers, not a race to the bottom for the workers who keep us healthy and safe,” said Steve Lomax, president of UFCW Local in 1996, on Monday.
Kaiser is one of the largest healthcare providers in the country. It has 26 publicly accessible locations in Georgia, with another four locations focused on support and IT.
Georgia is one of the least unionized countries in the country. According to the Federal Labor Statistics Office, fewer than 5 percent of workers here were union members in 2020. Only six other states were less unionized.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
