Unionized Kaiser Permanente health care workers nationwide went on strike Wednesday, including hundreds in Virginia and DC.
The strike over wages, patient care, and staffing shortages started at 6 a.m. Some 75,000 workers at 39 hospitals are striking. Nationwide, the strike involves licensed vocational nurses, home health aides, ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy, and emergency departments.
In Virginia and DC, the strike involves roughly 400 pharmacists and optometrists who are covered by the bargaining agreement that ended at midnight.
The strike will last for a day in Virginia and DC, while it has been authorized for three days for California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.
Hospitals, including emergency rooms, remain open, and doctors are not taking part in the strike, Kaiser Permanente said.
“As a result of this activity, we may experience high call volumes resulting in longer than usual wait times. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience,” Kaiser Permanente said on its website for the Virginia, DC, and Maryland region.
“Some of our pharmacy and optometry departments in Virginia are temporarily impacted during the strike,” Kaiser Permanente said.
The following pharmacies in Northern Virginia remain closed Wednesday:
- Burke Medical Center Pharmacy;
- Colonial Forge Medical Center Pharmacy;
- Haymarket Crossroads Medical Center Pharmacy.
The following optometry location in NoVA also are closed Wednesday.
- Ashburn Medical Center Optometry department;
- Burke Medical Center Optometry department;
- Colonial Forge Medical Center Optometry department;
- Fair Oaks Medical Center Optometry department;
- Falls Church Medical Center Optometry department;
- Reston Medical Center Optometry department;
- Springfield Medical Center Optometry department.
Kaiser Permanente said appointments for those locations are being rescheduled.
While the strike is authorized for Virginia and DC for a day, OPEIU Local 2, the union representing those workers, will be on the picket lines in Virginia, DC, and Maryland through 6 a.m. October 7.
The strike comes as health care workers say they are burned out from heavy workloads.
Unions want a $25 minimum wage, with 7 raises each year in the first two years and 6.25 percent each year in the two years afterward, according to The Associated Press. Kaiser Permanente proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year, depending on the location.
The nonprofit Kaiser Permanente provides coverage for nearly 13 million people.
Feature image, Felipe Sanchez/stock.adobe.com
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