San Diego, welcome to Tuesday!
Make sure to grab a jacket and umbrella before you head out as a cold Pacific storm is expected to sweep across San Diego County today. Megan Parry’s microclimate forecasts will pinpoint when rain, wind, and possible thunderstorms will hit your neighborhood.
Also, thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers in San Diego and across the state are going on strike this morning to take a stand for a better contract.
Let’s dive into the October 14 Streamline newsletter:
THE STREAMLINE:
ABC 10News brings you The Streamline for Tuesday, Oct. 14 -- everything you need to know in under 10 minutes:
TOP STORY:
Health care workers at three San Diego County Kaiser Permanente hospitals will join thousands of other Kaiser workers across California and Hawaii on Tuesday to begin a five-day strike.
The county facilities are Zion Medical Center in Grantville, where picketing is expected Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; San Diego Medical Center in Kearny Mesa, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; and San Marcos Medical Center, daily from Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The strike is scheduled to end at 7 a.m. this Sunday.
The strike involves 31,000 members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals. Members include registered nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, rehab therapists, dietitians, speech-language pathologists, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, midwives and other specialty health workers.
The union says it is striking to protect patient care and secure a fair contract that addresses safe staffing levels, equitable pay and benefits.
A statement on the union website says it will be the largest strike in UNAC/UHCP's history.
"We do not take the decision to strike lightly. A strike is always a last resort, reached only after every other option has been exhausted," the union said in a statement issued Sunday. "Over the past several months, our bargaining teams have met with Kaiser Permanente at both the local and national tables in good faith.
"When Kaiser requested mediation in recent weeks, we agreed in the hope of achieving a breakthrough. We've made ourselves available to meet anytime, anywhere throughout the 10-day notice period -- and beyond."
"Despite these efforts, Kaiser has not agreed to a contract that delivers on the core priorities of the frontline health care professionals who make Kaiser work every day. We're speaking up for better care."
Kaiser said hospitals and medical offices will remain open during the strike, and will shift appointments to virtual care via phone, video and e-chat. In some cases, some health appointments, elective surgeries and procedures will be rescheduled.
Kaiser emphasized that facilities will be staffed by physicians, experienced managers and trained staff with added licensed contract professionals as needed. Additionally, the company said it will be onboarding up to 7,600 nurses, clinicians and other staff to work during the strike -- individuals who have worked for them before.
More than 1,000 of Kaiser employees have also volunteered to be reassigned to work in strike locations, the company said.
Members can find the updates on care impacts at kp.org. Kaiser expects normal operations to resume after 7 a.m. Sunday.
"We remain committed to bargaining in good faith for a fair agreement that balances fair pay with high-quality, affordable care," Kaiser said in a statement. "We will continue providing the care our members rely on while honoring employees and protecting patients."
According to Kaiser, the company has been working with the Alliance of Health Care Unions since May to reach new national and local agreements to support nearly 61,000 employees. The company said that the heart of the negotiation is a dispute about wages.
The company reported that Alliance-represented employees earn, on average, 16% more than peers elsewhere. Kaiser's latest offer would provide an additional 21.5% over the four-year contract, as well as improves medical and pension benefits, the company said.
"We value every member of our team, and our history of collaboration with labor unions," Kaiser Permanente said.
The Alliance initially sought a 38% wage increase over four years, but now seeks 25%, which Kaiser Permanente described as a figure "out of step with today's economic realities and rising health care costs," according to the company.
Such a wage hike would increase the company's $6.3 billion annual payroll and may lead to higher rates for members and customers, with serious market implications, officials said.
"Our 21.5% offer will increase payroll for this group by nearly $2 billion in total by 2029," Kaiser said in a statement. "Anything beyond 21.5% will require us to further increase rates for our members and customers at a time when health care costs are increasingly unaffordable and many are having to make the difficult choice to go without coverage. We have a responsibility to the right thing for our employees and our members and customers."
Meanwhile, the union argued that Kaiser has the ability to pay -- saying that, in 2021, the company's reserves stood at $44 billion. In 2024, Kaiser reached $66 billion in reserves, an increase of $22 billion, the union said.
"This is not a money problem. It's a priority problem," according to a statement from the Alliance.
The union said its request for an increase of 25% was, in part, to address an 18.5% inflation increase.
"We're not asking for special treatment -- we're asking for equal treatment. Our proposal of a 25% wage increase over four years is designed to restore what was lost, keep pace with the cost of living and recognize the value of our members' labor," the Alliance said in a statement.
Story by City News Service
MICROCLIMATE FORECASTS:
Coasts
Inland
Mountains
Deserts
BREAKING OVERNIGHT:
(AP) — The tenuous ceasefire in Gaza is holding after the release of the last living hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
However, questions remain about key parts of a U.S. plan for the region.
The Israeli military reported firing on people approaching troops in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the U.N. says the rubble in Gaza is equivalent to 13 giant pyramids, with $70 billion needed for rebuilding.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that the agreement signed in Egypt is not a peace deal but a framework for a ceasefire. He urged the U.S. and others to pressure Israel to comply.
CONSUMER:
For some couples, the dream of a perfect wedding can quickly turn into a nightmare – not from cold feet, but from cold-hearted scammers.
WATCH — Joe Ducey with the Better Business Bureau takes a look at the ways scammers are targeting couples who are set to tie the knot:
WE FOLLOW THROUGH:
More affordable housing will become available today for families and seniors in San Diego’s Clairemont Mesa neighborhood.
Construction on the complex, located just off Genesee and Balboa avenues at the site of the old Clairemont Hospital and sheriff’s crime lab, began two years ago.
One building -- the Paul Downey Senior Residence -- opened in January; two buildings -- the Taormina Family Apartments and Modica Family Apartments -- open on Tuesday morning.
A fourth building is slated to open in the spring.
All told, the four buildings will have over 300 affordable units available.
The project was a collaboration between San Diego County, the San Diego Housing Commission, and several developers to bring more affordable housing to the area.
Read our June 2023 story on the start of construction: https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/construction-begins-on-affordable-housing-project-in-clairemont
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