Vote results and pending action will be announced in Friday press conference
SEATTLE – Thousands of healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente Washington locations represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW will join the national Kaiser Permanente strike on Nov. 1, if workers authorize an unfair labor practice strike in a vote set to end later this week.
Union and member leaders of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, which represents approximately 3,000 healthcare workers at 36 KPWA locations around the state, have been in negotiations with KPWA since August fighting for a strong contract that protects both workers and patients. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is part of the national Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions that led last week’s historic strike, but contracts for KPWA workers aren’t set to expire until the end of October.
Jane Hopkins, registered nurse and president of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, offered the following statement:
“This is an historic moment for our union, joining in solidarity with healthcare workers and their unions all across the country, using our collective strength to fight for healthcare workers and patients. If our members vote yes this week to authorize a strike we’ll be joining tens of thousands of healthcare workers across the nation to increase pressure on Kaiser Permanente to address the staffing crisis it helped create.
“The thousands of Washington healthcare workers in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW are proud to stand with our union siblings as we fight together for a fair contract that ensures safety for our members and better care for patients.”
Central to the KPWA negotiations are healthcare workers’ concerns about unsafe staffing levels that could lead to dangerously long wait times, misdiagnoses, and neglect. After years of the COVID pandemic and chronic understaffing, KPWA healthcare workers are calling on management to bargain in good faith to reach a contract that will help provide safe staffing levels.
Results of the Kaiser Permanente WA strike authorization vote will be announced in a virtual press conference on Friday, Oct. 13, hosted by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. To receive a link, please RSVP in advance.
###
About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 31,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.