"Kaiser Health Worker Strike Temporarily Resolved, Talks Persist"
The three-day strike by 75,000 Kaiser health workers in California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Virginia, and Washington D.C. has ended, with about 80% of the strikers in California. The strike was in response to the expiration of the workers' contract on September 30. Union leaders are pushing for a $25-an-hour minimum wage, while Kaiser executives have proposed $21, and $23 in California. Talks will resume next week, and if an agreement is not reached, another strike may occur. The unions also claim that chronic understaffing puts patients at risk, a claim that Kaiser denies. During the strike, Kaiser closed some labs but kept hospitals, emergency departments, and pharmacies open, with some appointments switched to video or phone calls.