Union actions and labor solidarity events have been happening in San Diego of late and here’s an update and summary.
United Food and Commercial Workers unions in San Diego are getting ready to act in solidarity with their compatriots up in LA and Orange Counties, plus today, Monday, Oct. 21, thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in Southern California, including more than 300 workers in San Diego, went on strike. Then a week ago, Hilton San Diego Bayfront workers overwhelmingly ratified a new contract following a 38-day strike.
Last Friday, Oct. 18, UFCW Locals 770 and 324 in Los Angeles and Orange Counties launched Unfair Labor Practice strikes at 7 CVS Pharmacy locations and although UFCW Local 135 in San Diego is not yet on strike, the union stands in solidarity with those on the picket lines and is preparing to take similar actions.
For over three months, unionized CVS workers across California have been without a contract, despite multiple bargaining sessions. Throughout these negotiations, UFCW Locals have filed several unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. Meanwhile, the CVS membership overwhelmingly approved a strike due to the company’s unfair labor practices.
Todd Walters, President of UFCW Local 135, made this statement:
“Our CVS Pharmacy members have shown incredible patience, but CVS continues to violate labor laws and ignore their demands for fair wages, safer working conditions, and adequate healthcare. It’s time for CVS to respect the essential workers who keep their pharmacies running. We are ready to stand up with our members in LA and Orange County to push for what they deserve.”
Later this week, in order to show solidarity and put pressure on the company, the San Diego area Local 135 will hold a CVS Solidarity Boycott Action on Wednesday, October 23, the same day as the next bargaining session. The boycott will take place from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the CVS Pharmacy located at 3327 Rosecrans Street in San Diego’s Midway District. Our members and labor allies will encourage customers to boycott CVS, transfer their prescriptions to local union pharmacies, cancel their ExtraCare+ subscriptions, and not cross any strike lines until a fair contract is reached.
More than 7,400 UFCW members across eight Locals, representing nearly 400 CVS pharmacies statewide, are part of this bargaining unit. CVS workers are united in their fight for fair pay, improved safety conditions, and healthcare benefits that reflect the vital role they play in their communities. For more information on the strike, boycott actions, or contract negotiations, contact Brent Beltran, UFCW Local 135 Communications Director, at 619.866.8595. United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135 represents over 12,000 members in San Diego and Imperial Counties across industries including grocery & retail, pharmacy, healthcare, food processing, cannabis, and more. UFCW Local 135 is part of the 1.3 million-member strong UFCW International Union.
Kaiser Permanente mental health workers go on strike
As noted, 1000s of Kaiser Permanente mental health workers including more than 300 workers in San Diego, went on strike this morning. The strike kicked off at 6 a.m. at the Clairemont Mesa location and is expected to go from Monday through Friday, with the exception of Tuesdays when San Diego workers will join the strike in Los Angeles.
The union’s contracts expired on Sept. 30, and negotiations are ongoing. The union is negotiating for more patient care time, requesting seven hours per week for tasks like patient calls, emails, and appointments. Kaiser countered with six hours, arguing the union’s request would take up 40% of the workweek that could be spent with patients.
The union is also pushing for pay raises, claiming that non-mental health workers at Kaiser earn 40% more. Kaiser has proposed an 18% pay increase over a four-year contract. Another key issue is the restoration of pensions, which were eliminated a decade ago. The union said the lack of pensions has led to increased turnover and weakened Kaiser’s mental health training program.
10News spoke to Jim Clifford, a therapist at Kaiser’s psychiatry office in Otay Mesa, who has worked at Kaiser for 23 years and will be among those on strike. Clifford, a member of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), said this strike aims to secure a contract for Southern California workers similar to the one Northern California workers have.
“We’re basically the only employee group at Kaiser that doesn’t have pensions. That makes it harder for us to attract and keep people because they see that we’re overbooked, and they feel like they can work elsewhere and have a pension.”
Hotel Workers Ratify New Contract
Hilton San Diego Bayfront workers have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract following a 38-day strike, Unite Here Local 30 said last week. Of the 700 workers who took part in the strike, 94% approved the new pact. They sought better wages and working conditions.
The new four-year contract includes what Local 30 called “significant wage increases” for both non-tipped and tipped hotel workers and boosts to workers’ pensions and healthcare funds. The deal also covers improvements to workloads, anti-harassment language, changes to tip/gratuity policies for restaurant and banquet workers and enhanced paid time off and holidays.
More strikes are possible, including for Local 30 members at the Hotel del Coronado. The workers authorized a strike last week. See Times of San Diego for more.
Happy birthday Brent!
Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 5, 135, 324, 648, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442, together representing more than 7,000 CVS workers across California with over 900 in San Diego County, reached a tentative agreement securing better wages, more secure staffing, and a more affordable healthcare plan for our B stores.