75,000 Kaiser nurses, pharmacists and other workers have walked off the job
NPR Online NewsSEP 28 2023
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While there's no question that staffing shortages and employee burnout are an issue at Kaiser Permanente, these issues are affecting the entire healthcare industry, not just this company. It is unfair to blame Kaiser for an entire sector's problem. Additionally, Kaiser already has better compensation and benefits packages than most companies. A strike was unnecessary.
Establishment-critical narrative
Kaiser management failed to adequately address worker's concerns about unsafe staffing levels. Previous negotiations have not been done in good faith and a fair outcome has not yet been achieved. While unfortunate, a strike is necessary to improve working conditions, and staffing levels, which will improve the quality of patient care. This is another example of America's simmering labor movements.