A coalition of health care unions is threatening an “extremely disruptive” strike next week if they don’t get more money and benefits, CNN reported.
More than 75,000 health care employees across five states and the District of Columbia plan to walk out of work on Oct. 4 if their demands are not met, constituting what could be the largest health care strike in American history. John August, the director for health care labor relations at Cornell University, told CNN that the strike will be “extremely disruptive.”
Kaiser Permanente, the nonprofit medical provider targeted by the strike, said that they “take any threat to disrupt care for our members seriously,” and have plans to mitigate the impact of the striking workers on providing patients with health care, according to CNN.
The unions are pushing for a 25% increase in pay, expanded benefits and protections from outsourcing and subcontracting, NPR reported. Kaiser has offered raises between 12% and 15% to the unions, which they have rejected. (RELATED: New Strike Could Make Cars Even More Expensive)
The coalition of unions plans to strike from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7. Union leadership has stated that, if their demands are not met, they are prepared to order a longer strike of indeterminate length in November.
Last Thursday, we announced an unfair labor practice strike authorization vote due to Kaiser’s bad faith bargaining. When @kpthrive fails to work with frontline health care workers, our community suffers. #United4All pic.twitter.com/8xC6cVGEix
— SEIU-UHW #United4All (@seiu_uhw) August 28, 2023
August, the Cornell expert, told CNN the November strike could substantially impact the economy. “In a short strike of several days, you’re not going to see a lot of overflow into the broader economy of a community like you would in a longer strike,” he warned.
Two hundred ninety-one strikes have taken place this year, according to Cornell. Some strikes have had negative downstream effects on American consumers. The high-profile United Autoworkers Strike, for instance, could raise costs for Americans.
Anderson Economic Group said the auto strike could increase inflation and otherwise damage the economy in August, Business Insider reported.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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