California

Kaiser Mental Health Workers Set to Strike Monday

The open-ended strike is set to start Monday at hospitals throughout the Bay Area, Sacramento and Fresno.

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Mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente say it is likely they will strike Monday.

About 2,000 psychologists, therapists, counselors and social workers put Kaiser on notice Aug. 2 that they would strike in two weeks if demands weren't met.

The open-ended strike is set to start Monday at hospitals throughout the Bay Area, Sacramento and Fresno.

The mental health workers said that they want to see big improvements to meet record demand for mental health care. The group is also claiming that Kaiser is canceling some appointments for patients as the potential strike looms.

Kaiser released the following statement Saturday:

"The union is well aware that its decision to strike will inevitably hurt Kaiser Permanente’s ability to meet the needs of our patients: that is the point of the strike. The reality is that strikes will only reduce access to our care, at a time of unprecedented demand."

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