Washington State Nurses Association supports Kaiser strikers

Seattle — Washington State Nurses Associ­a­tion stands with 32,000 nurses and health profes­sionals including members of our AFT-affil­i­ated nurses at Oregon Feder­a­tion of Nurses and Health Profes­sionals who intend to begin their strike at Kaiser Perma­nente locations in Washington, Oregon and California starting November 15.

This strike is about patient care. Nurses and health profes­sionals have put forward proposals to solve the current staffing crisis and ensure safe staffing in the future. Instead of investing in workers and patient care, Kaiser is now pushing proposals that cut costs on the backs of front­line health workers, including a two-tier system that would punish future employees and make it harder to recruit quali­fied workers.

In the midst of a nation­wide staffing crisis, Kaiser is pushing proposals that would create a disaster for patient care by making it harder to recruit and retain the staff needed to care for patients.

When nurses and health­care profes­sionals get the resources we need then the entire commu­nity benefits. WSNA stands with Kaiser workers and the commu­ni­ties they serve in calling on Kaiser to come to the table and negotiate a deal that invests in workers and patient care.

Further, recent reports indicate that Kaiser is already working with outside staffing firms to recruit workers to cross the picket line and break the strike. WSNA strongly encour­ages all health profes­sionals to respect the strike line and decline any travel assign­ment that would inter­fere with workers who are standing up for themselves and their patients.

Striking takes courage and solidarity. It also requires willing­ness to forgo pay for an indef­i­nite time. WSNA encour­ages members who are able to make a contri­bu­tion to help our fellow AFT-affil­i­ated nurses at the Oregon Feder­a­tion of Nurses and Health Profes­sionals by contributing to the OFNHP hardship fund.

Make a contribution.