75,000 Healthcare Workers Set to Go on Strike – Biggest Healthcare Strike In U.S. History
More than 75,000 healthcare workers may go on strike if negotiators fail to reach an agreement with their contract, which expires on Saturday night at midnight. The strike would affect Kaiser Permanente in five states and Washington D.C.
The healthcare workers include nurses, lab technicians, orderlies, therapists and pharmacists. They are planning to walk off the job for three days in October. This would be the biggest health care strike in U.S. history and will involve 40 percent of Kaiser’s workforce.
There have been disagreements over pay and staffing issues. There have also been issues of worker burnout with staff shortages and concern over giving the patients adequate care.
Healthcare workers are asking for wage increases among other demands.