Negotiations heat up in Southern California for Local 7600

Things are heating up at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, where members of Local 7600 have held a summer series of solidarity actions, including button and sticker days, as a show of strength during what has proven to be a difficult start to their negotiations.

The union’s contract with Kaiser, which Steelworkers in Local 7600 negotiate as part of the 21-member Alliance of Health Care Unions, is set to expire in October. The USW represents about 7,500 workers across dozens of Kaiser Permanente locations.

While the union has proposed wage increases, expanded benefits and strengthened standards, Kaiser management has stressed “affordability,” making no mention of quality care. They have even suggested worker pay is too high.

The company made $16.3 billion in net profits between 2018 and 2020.

“It’s been frustrating to see the company place a higher value on their bottom line than they do on the people who are working every day to provide top-quality care,” said Michael Barnett, president of Local 7600.

Click here to follow the local’s #BestJobsBestCare campaign on Facebook.

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