Pharmacists for health care giant Kaiser Permanente are threatening to strike on Monday.
Kaiser officials said negotiations with the Guild for Professional Pharmacists are ongoing. Patients said they were alerted to the possible work stoppage by a phone message.
In South San Francisco late Tuesday, a steady stream of patients were picking up medication after learning the strike could last from Nov. 15 to Nov. 22.
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Kaiser in a statement said it has an offer on the table that keeps its pharmacists among the highest paid in the profession.
"The proposal includes wage increases over 4 years, including a 3% increase in year one, and a 2% increase plus 2% bonus each year thereafter," Kaiser said in the statement. "In addition, there is a 120% increase in Guild members’ potential incentive payouts, no changes to Guild members’ excellent medical benefits, and enhancements to Guild members’ retirement contributions. In fact, the cash value of this contract is the richest contract offered to Guild members by Kaiser Permanente in the past decade."
NBC Bay Area reached out to the Guild for Professional Pharmacists, but did not receive a response late Monday.
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Kaiser also said if there is a strike, it is prepared to continue to provide members and patients with access to the pharmacy services they need.
