DENVER — In the weeks since union workers at Kaiser Permanente facilities in Colorado voted to authorize a strike, tens of thousands of Kaiser employees around the country have voted to join them.
Just this week, Kaiser workers in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., voted to authorize a strike if a contract isn't reached in the next 10 days. Representatives from the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are traveling to California, where bargaining is expected to continue Thursday and Friday.
"We've put all of our proposals forward. We have very thought-out proposals that we feel, our members feel, are fair and would meet the needs currently of the workforce. And at this moment, our members feel that the ball is in Kaiser's court," said Stephanie Felix-Sowy, president of SEIU Local 105.
The clock is running down on Kaiser Permanente's current contract with employees — it's set to expire on Sept. 30.
In Colorado, about 3,000 workers at Kaiser Permanente belong to SEIU Local 105, from LPNs to pharmacy techs and medical assistants. While both sides maintain they hope to reach a new deal before a strike takes place, if workers do walk out, it could have a big impact on Kaiser facilities.
"It would have an impact the same as if they all went out because there aren't workers to keep the places clean, keep the lights on, and then schedule patients, and see patients if they're techs or non-nursing personnel. The nurses can't work and the physicians can't work without the support staff around," said Chris Looby, who teaches operations management in the health care professions program at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Kaiser hasn't said exactly what it will do with facilities if a strike takes place but stresses that there are "comprehensive plans to ensure continued access to needed health care services."
Looby said when it comes to health care, that's tricky.
“In health care, you can’t just sub somebody in," Looby said. "Even if it’s the support staff that are involved in maintenance because of the rules that are in place that employers must implement in relation to appropriate training, things like confidentiality under HIPAA and the compliance that has to be done there."
On Thursday, a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente clarified to 9NEWS that if a strike should occur, "deductibles and out of pocket expenses for patients will not be impacted by the strike."
Kaiser Permanente has said they'll be following Colorado law when it comes to ensuring continued care for patients in the event of a strike.
Looby said without knowing the firm details on how Kaiser intends to continue operations in the event of a strike, it's hard to know exactly how or if patients in Colorado or around the country could be impacted.
But over the next week and a half, the coalition including SEIU Local 105 will be bargaining with Kaiser, hoping to avoid any kind of strike and impact to patients.
A spokesperson for Kaiser said they take any threat to disrupt care for members seriously and they're continuing to work with the coalition to strike a deal for workers here in Colorado and around the country.
"We have two more bargaining sessions scheduled for next week. Our priority is to reach an agreement that ensures we can continue to provide market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits. We are confident we’ll reach an agreement before the national agreement expires on September 30 that strengthens our position as a best place to work and ensures that the high-quality care our members expect from us remains affordable and easy to access," Kaiser Permanente said in a statement to 9NEWS.
Felix-Sowy said they want to see better pay for workers and better staffing levels at Kaiser facilities to sign a new deal, stressing it's the right thing for both workers and patients.
“From the beginning, our folks have been hopeful to get a fair contract, to get one that meets the needs of patients as well as them as employees as well as Kaiser as an entity. We are hopeful there is still a path,” Felix-Sowy said.
A spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente said they've got an offer on the table to the coalition, that includes raising minimum wages up to $21 an hour. In Colorado, Kaiser said they've proposed a wage increase of 11% for workers over four years.
Now, both sides have just over a week to make a deal before a strike could start.
"Most of our members will say of course I don't want to but if I have to I will," Felix-Sowy said.
Bargaining between the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions and Kaiser Permanente is expected to begin Thursday morning and continue through Friday.
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