The ongoing labor dispute between Kaiser Permanente and its healthcare workers has entered its fourth week, disrupting patient care across California and Hawaii. While a three-day strike by pharmacy and laboratory workers concluded on , approximately 31,000 nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals remain on strike, initiated on .
The strike’s impact is being felt by Kaiser’s over 600,000 members in San Diego County, and across the region, with reports ranging from minimal disruption to significant delays in care. The core of the conflict centers on staffing levels and compensation. Kaiser Permanente has offered a 21.5% across-the-board raise, which the organization states would bring annual pay above $200,000 for many nurses. However, the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) argues that Kaiser is failing to address critical staffing shortages, despite reporting billions of dollars in financial reserves.
The lack of a pre-arranged end date to the strike leaves patients uncertain about when services will return to normal. This uncertainty is compounded by temporary pharmacy closures, impacting access to essential medications. As of , Kaiser Permanente San Diego reported that pharmacies in Escondido and Clairemont Mesa had reopened, but locations in Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Carmel Valley, Point Loma, Kearny Mesa, and Rancho San Diego remained offline.
Recent accounts from Kaiser patients in San Diego County, shared with the San Diego Union-Tribune, illustrate the varied experiences during the strike. Some patients report minimal disruption, while others face significant challenges.
Adele Buono of North County shared a positive experience, stating that her lab appointments have proceeded smoothly with no delays and proactive communication from Kaiser. “Kaiser has been very communicative prior to the appointments. Kaiser is great at patient communication. I have no complaints,” she said.
Frances Dalton of Escondido was able to keep her appointment with an orthopedist, and reported being treated efficiently and with kindness. “I would not have crossed the picket line if I hadn’t been waiting on this appointment for a while,” Dalton said. “However, I was taken care of very well and efficiently…I apologized for having to cross the line. I hope it ends soon.”
However, other patients are experiencing significant difficulties. Ricardo Callado of North Park has found it increasingly challenging to obtain his monthly prescription for ADHD medication. “With the strike, you can’t get a human on the phone at any pharmacy, and the automated prompts won’t process controlled medications,” Callado explained. He has been forced to rely on direct communication with his doctor and blind submissions of prescriptions to open pharmacies, with no guarantee of availability.
Sandy Early of La Mesa is facing similar challenges in obtaining ADHD medication for her daughter, describing the delays as “ridiculous” and criticizing Kaiser’s “contingency plan” as inadequate. “The delay in filling a prescription is ridiculous! Kaiser talks about having a ‘robust contingency plan’ in place, but it appears to be anything but robust! What a disgrace not to plan better. Possibly causing us to run out is negligent!”
The strike is also impacting scheduled procedures. Dawn Minutelli of La Mesa had a critical procedure to address complications from a previous knee replacement postponed from to , with no guarantee that the rescheduled date will remain firm.
More concerning are reports of canceled cancer treatments. Amy Etheridge of Del Cerro recounted her mother’s experience, where a regular cancer appointment was canceled, and a previous appointment had not taken place at all. Her mother expressed distress, stating, “I just didn’t think that anyone would say ‘if you don’t get chemo, you’re going to die,’ and then cancel my appointments.”
Kirsten Peraino of Oceanside has had both a monthly migraine infusion appointment and a long-scheduled epidural canceled due to the strike, impacting her ability to manage multiple chronic health conditions. “Who knows how long I’ll have to wait for the epidural to be rescheduled,” she said.
Not all experiences have been negative. Mike Stevens of San Clemente reported a surprisingly efficient emergency room visit for his child, with attentive nursing staff and a relatively short wait time. However, this appears to be an exception rather than the rule.
Tara Vlahakis of Chula Vista experienced a three-hour wait and a cramped environment while seeking antibiotics for her two-year-old’s ear infection, expressing frustration with a system she believes prioritizes labor negotiations over patient care. “I respect workers advocating for fair treatment, but patients, especially families with young children, are paying the price for a system that is clearly broken,” Vlahakis said.
Sarah Ramet of Lakeside is facing a delay in her son’s hernia repair surgery, originally scheduled for , now postponed to . While not immediately life-threatening, the delay could lead to increased pain and potential complications if left untreated.
The situation remains fluid, and the impact on Kaiser Permanente patients is likely to continue as long as the strike persists. The core issues of staffing and compensation remain unresolved, leaving both healthcare workers and patients in a state of uncertainty.
