Santa Rosa Kaiser workers to picket Thursday against their employer

About 200 medical workers at the Kaiser Permanente medical complex in Santa Rosa are expected to participate in picketing Thursday afternoon protesting employee changes they say would impact patient care.

The changes include wage reductions and job cuts around the state, according to Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West. The union said no Santa Rosa Kaiser employees would be affected.

Local workers will picket from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. as a show of solidarity with Kaiser workers elsewhere, one union representative said. The union represents about 1,500 health care workers at Kaiser medical offices in Santa Rosa.

“Kaiser Permanente is more profitable than ever and the partnership between labor and management is a big reason for that,” said Ursula Nieto, a senior health plan representative at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, said in a press release. “The partnership wasn’t built on outsourcing jobs and wage cuts, which harm patient care and our communities.”

John Nelson, vice president communications for Kaiser Permanente, said Wednesday the picketing would not affect patient care.

“The physicians and employees of Kaiser Permanente will remain focused on the important work of delivering high-quality, affordable care to our members and improving the health of the communities we serve,” Nelson said in an email statement.