Kaiser Healthcare Workers Call for "Hero Bonus" to Retain Staff and Keep Patients Safe

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This Thanksgiving, thousands of frontline Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers across the country will leave their homes to provide quality care to their communities. Kaiser workers have been struggling with a ferocious third COVID wave--while the corporation has made billions in profits--and are calling for a "Hero Bonus," which they say is a moral imperative to retain staff so they can keep their patients safe. Kaiser workers have been risking their lives and the lives of their families during the pandemic. As an essential part of the nation's response to the out-of-control health crisis, many Kaiser workers have been exposed to or infected by the coronavirus, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. Meanwhile, Kaiser has a long list of executives, many of whom are working safe from home or office buildings, that are making over a million dollars a year each in total compensation.

"As Kaiser healthcare workers, we do our jobs with our whole hearts because we're dedicated to the mission of caring for our communities," said Tiffany Powell, a medical laboratory assistant who has worked at Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center in Maryland for 13 years. "In the lab, we are on the frontlines of our country's battle with the pandemic, processing COVID samples. It's been extremely stressful because I've known many co-workers who have been infected by the virus. I'm a very family-oriented person, but have had to self-isolate from my family members with whom I'm close, because I don't want to put them at any risk. We've worked tirelessly since this crisis began, enabling Kaiser to do very well financially, and now it's time for them to recognize our commitment. Ultimately, that will help retain staff so our patients can keep getting safe, quality care moving forward."

Workers are calling on management to recognize their dedication, resilience and courage in dangerous working conditions by rewarding a Hero Bonus of at least 3% of payroll. Kaiser can readily afford this, as the corporation has over $44 billion in cash and investments¹ and made $4.5 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2020 alone.² In the first half of this year, Kaiser's patient membership grew by 183,000 to a total of 12.4 million.³ Last year, Kaiser's profits nearly tripled from 2018 to $7.4 billion.⁴

"Our hard work is the foundation of Kaiser's incredible financial success and growth," said Dr. Kelly O'Shea, a Kaiser optometrist in Sacramento, California. "We want to make sure they're prioritizing those resources for staff retention so we can provide the highest quality care. As an optometrist, I work very close to patients' faces, which puts my family members, especially my parents, at risk. I'm also in a high-risk category myself since I have an autoimmune disease. The Hero Bonus is necessary to recognize the risks we're taking every day when we come to work."

This would likely be the broadest bonus for healthcare workers in the country during the pandemic. Hero Bonuses have been paid out in the retail sector but are less common in the healthcare industry, and the federal government has failed to pass any relief for medical workers.

"At my work we're risking our lives on a daily basis, because we're face-to-face with each patient getting their vital signs, performing EKGs, running tests and administering flu shots," said Jeannetta McCain, a licensed practical nurse at Kaiser Permanente East Denver Medical Offices who has 18 years of service. "My patients frequently tell me 'thank you for all that you do.' Management needs to acknowledge that we're the ones who make Kaiser run."

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents 85,000 caregivers throughout California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Washington State, including lab workers, nurses, therapists, nursing assistants, techs, pharmacy workers, environmental service workers, clerical workers, dietary workers and other vital roles. Many workers in lower-wage job classifications, who are disproportionately women and people of color, have struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic. To launch their efforts, thousands of workers signed onto a petition to management, and thousands more have been wearing buttons at work that declare "We've Earned the Kaiser Hero Bonus."

"I clean and disinfect the rooms after COVID patients leave or pass away, and it's very difficult, detailed work," said Darren Wallace, a lead housekeeper who has worked at Kaiser Los Angeles Medical Center for 37 years. "I have to scrub the walls, clean the beds and vents, and make sure the room is completely sanitized using powerful chemicals. This is an extremely dangerous job, and I've had five coworkers who've gotten sick from COVID. I'm worried every day about bringing the virus home to my mother who is 79 years old and blind. I've sometimes worked three shifts in a row, 24 hours straight because we're so short-staffed. We've dedicated our lives to keeping our patients safe, and Kaiser needs to show they understand and appreciate our work."

As a next step, workers will soon be launching a series of highly visible nationwide actions at Kaiser facilities to honor the sacrifices of caregivers and their families.

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents over 85,000 workers throughout California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Washington State. Their mission is to advocate for the highest quality patient care and good union jobs for local communities. For a full description go to UnionCoalition.org.

¹ Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Subsidiaries and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Subsidiaries second quarter 2020 unaudited financial results.
² https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/kaiser-s-net-income-more-than-doubles-to-4-5b-in-q2.html
³ https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/08/07/kaiser-permanente.html#:~:text=In%20the%20last%20six%20months,for%20potential%20Covid%2D19%20patients.
⁴ https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/news/announcements/2019-kaiser-foundation-health-plan-hospitals-financial-results

SOURCE Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, AFL-CIO