Healthcare workers say chronic under-staffing is driving a growing patient care crisis

LOS ANGELES, CA – A strike may be looming at one of the nation’s largest employers.

Healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente announced on Thursday that they’ll hold a strike authorization vote over the corporation’s unfair labor practices if a settlement isn’t reached by Saturday, August 26. Following the UPS labor settlement with the Teamsters, the labor negotiations covering 85,000 Kaiser healthcare workers – represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions – have now become the largest single-employer labor negotiations occurring in the United States.

At issue, healthcare workers say, are a series of unfair labor practices related to bargaining in bad faith, along with simmering staff concerns related to unsafe staffing levels that can lead to dangerously long wait times, mistaken diagnosis, and neglect. After years of the COVID pandemic and chronic understaffing, Kaiser healthcare workers are calling on management to provide safe staffing levels.

Dear OPEIU Members and Family:

Here is an update on recent developments regarding the OPEIU Free College Benefit, as well as introduction to an exciting opportunity for our union members and their families.

We understand there has been uncertainty surrounding the Free College Benefit for continuing students and are sad to say, due to a decision by the Department of Education, the benefit is no longer available to you and your family. While this may be disappointing news, we believe change often brings new and exciting opportunities.

Our new union college benefit option offers up to 50 percent discounted tuition rates and still applies to your federal grant awards to reduce your out-of-pocket costs even further.

OPEIU’s Discount College Benefit offers flexibility and numerous options for union members and their families to further their education. The program’s extensive network of colleges and universities is comprised of accredited institutions committed to providing discounted tuition rates to our union members and their families, ensuring accessibility and affordability for higher education. Whether you are interested in pursuing an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree, or are seeking to enhance your professional skills with undergraduate or graduate certificates, the program has a comprehensive range of more than 50 online degree programs and certificate offerings.

Once again, the members of our Scholarship Committee have worked very hard to bring our members this wonderful benefit. If you, or a member of your immediate family is currently attending College or will be this fall or have loans from a recognized student loan provider or debtor organization, and are current in their student loan payments, then this Union benefit is just in time.

Th scholarship application forms, a copy of the rules, and other information about this program can be found on the links below. You are welcome to send in one application for each eligible family member.  Acceptance letter or school registration information, or documentation that student loan payments are up to date must be attached to the application and submitted to the Local 30 office by September 30, 2023, to be eligible for the Scholarship drawing. Incomplete applications may be excluded. Please be sure to apply as soon as possible. We will draw the winners at our October General Membership meeting.

This is yet another benefit designed for Local 30 members and their families.

Eight Scholarship Awards: $2,000 each

Deadline: September 30, 2023

• Eligibility and Rules Scholarship Program
• Scholarship Application
• Student Debt Relief Application

All members of Local 30 are encouraged to attend these meetings to obtain current information on the business of the Union

As we begin the process of bargaining the Local agreement covering all our Kaiser Permanente members, we will be conducting 'Town Hall' style meetings across our service area for the purpose of assembling our proposals. We plan to discuss issues and our strategy for the upcoming negotiations and answer any related questions.

Members are invited to attend any meeting at any time during the scheduled meeting hours that is most convenient, submit their proposal, and do not have to stay the entire time. The information shared will be the same at each meeting.

Your input is important to develop proposals for bargaining.

Click here to download the schedule.