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2,400 Kaiser mental health professionals strike in Northern California over AI concerns
About 2,400 mental health professionals and 23,000 nurses struck over fears AI could replace therapists despite management denying job cuts, amid ongoing contract talks.
- On Wednesday, about 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals struck in Northern California in a scheduled one-day walkout from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Oakland and other Bay Area centers.
- Amid contract talks since last summer, the union says Kaiser nurses are striking to block AI measures and secure layoff protections, with negotiations far apart since September.
- Union complaints focus on clinical screening changes and an app that replaces clinician triage, with Kaiser therapist Jess Metzinger saying, 'This would be a 15-minute call with a licensed therapist that they've replaced with some yes or no questions.'
- Kaiser said facilities would stay open and use contingency plans during the strike, though patients with elective or nonurgent appointments may be rescheduled; management highlighted more hires and AI as support tools in a message from Lionel Sims and Priya Smith referencing a $200 million settlement.
- The action follows a large four-week stoppage by roughly 30,000 Kaiser health workers and comes amid regulatory scrutiny including last month’s $2.8 million penalty from the U.S. Department of Labor.
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16 Articles
Kaiser healthcare workers strike over AI use
OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- Hundreds of Kaiser Permanente mental health workers held a one-day strike Wednesday in Oakland to protest the health care provider's increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. The workers, represented by the National Union of Health care Workers, claim the technology reduces the quality of patient care and safety. The strike involved social workers and psychologists who have been working without a contract since Se…
Associated Press News
2,400 Kaiser mental health professionals strike in Northern California over AI concerns
About 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers are striking in Northern California over fears the company will replace therapists with artificial intelligence.
Northern California Kaiser Therapists Hold 1-Day Strike Over AI, Patient Care Concerns
Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in Northern California will stage a one-day strike over AI use, patient care concerns, staffing levels and job security, with support from thousands of health care employees.
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