OAKLAND, California – A correspondent for the North American Bureau of ABS-CBN news reported that several Filipinos were among the approximately 300 nurses and union representatives who converged outside the California Nurses Association building last week to protest their employer, Kaiser Permanente’s alleged dismissal of the importance of patient care.
The nurses said that with Kaiser being the largest health insurer and hospital system in California, the current situation – reflected in chronic understaffing and continued cut in patient services – is a cause for alarm.
“We were supposed to have bargaining but our employer failed to show up so we went to them instead. So we rallied over at their office and let them know that we were there and what are purpose was to be there,” said Mike Beshears, a nurse at Kaiser L.A.M.C. for the last 21-years.
“We came up here to support our nurses up north because we are all one company and we are all here for the care of our patients. We want everyone to know we are united on this. We want our patients to get the care they deserve and that they paid for, ”he added.
According to the nurses, Kaiser still allows understaffing, and continues to cut patient care services, despite the $1.1 billion increase in Kaiser profits for the first quarter of 2014.
The nurses pointed out cuts in the areas of hospital admission restrictions, keeping patients in “observation” for 72 hours or more, and prematurely sending patients from Kaiser Hospitals back to their homes where the families are left to deal with the burden of patient care.
“We as nurses are the voice of our patients. So being their voice, we want better care for them and Kaiser is starting to cut back on all the services. So as a nurse we are the voice of our patient and we want to be heard.” 28-year-old Tessie Costales, a nurse of Kaiser L.A.M.C., said.
“A lot of the nurses were sent here by their parents and have sacrifice so much to sell everything they have to send their children to school to be nurses to be here to better their lives,” emphasized Marilu Ramirez, a nurse on the 2014 bargaining team.
Kaiser said in an email when queried by news agency, Balitang America, that they didn’t meet with the nurses because a neutral location had not been agreed upon.
They also said that their company is ready to bargain with the nurses, and expressed confidence that both parties will engage in a relevant dialogue.