JCAHO: Just Continue All Hospital Operations
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. We all know this is not what that acronym stands for, but we also know that management at Kaiser loves to move differently when they are expecting the accredited survey personnel to come by and evaluate […]
Kaiser Workers Go on Strike
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. On Monday, September 8th, more than 600 Kaiser midwives and nurse anesthetists went on a one-day strike to demand better working conditions. This was their first strike as they negotiate their very first contract, and their […]
Food Fight
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. The nutrition department at Kaiser Oakland is changing the menu for our patients. Better food based on scientific research? Of course not, Kaiser tends to make decisions based on saving money, which does not mean bettering […]
Now is the Time for Class Solidarity
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. It takes many of us workers with different titles to make our hospital function. We may often feel invisible, but our work is essential, and our humility is not a weakness. We take pride in doing […]
Highland: Safe Staffing Saves Lives
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Not providing enough staff to a hospital may seem like a cost-cutting measure, but it’s a matter of life or death for the people we take care of. On shifts where we don’t have enough staff, […]
We Run the Hospital – Not ICE!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Last week in Palo Alto, a woman collapsed during an ICE arrest and was taken to Stanford Hospital. Despite having a serious medical condition, agents allowed only a brief family visit and did not give information […]
Incremental Overtime Blues
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Every so often, hospital management gets the bright idea that they can save money by threatening workers over their use of “incremental overtime.” This is the type of overtime that accrues when you clock in two […]
Local 29 Workers Rebid for Positions
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. In the past months, Kaiser administration has increasingly pushed to reduce staff, cut corners, automate tasks, and consolidate departments in an effort to increase profits. For cashier receptionists at Kaiser, this has recently meant having to […]
Budgeting for Dummies
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. AHS is about to face severe budget deficits thanks to new Medicaid cuts, something CEO James Jackson has called the ‘nuclear option.’ In a stunning display of “collaboration,” he asked for our ideas on how to […]
Seven Month Delay in Certification Pay
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Over a year ago, in July of 2024, Alameda Health System nurses voted to approve a new contract that includes an additional 3% compensation for holding a specialty certification. The contract states that the new pay […]
ICE: Hands Off Our Patients
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Last week, Highland workers organized an in-person know your rights training for how to respond to ICE if they show up to the hospital. Lawyers taught workers a lot over their lunch break, here are some […]
Trump’s Cuts Will Affect All of Us Everywhere
Since taking office in late January, Trump and his anti-worker bureaucrats have already begun to slash and burn many of the programs and resources that we need. Now that Congress has passed and Trump has signed into law what they called their “Big Beautiful Bill,” the larger cuts that we have all worried about are […]
Workers at Children’s Hospital Oakland Are Under Attack!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Workers at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital just ended a two-week strike involving members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), California Nurses Association (CNA), and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE). The strike was in […]
Know Your Rights in the Hospital
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. With the recent ICE raids in LA, and several high profile arrests in Bay Area courthouses, there have been lots of concerns about where ICE agents might show up next. Some Highland staff have been very […]
Workers Protect Each Other at Highland
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Last Friday, workers at Highland rose up in defense of one of their own when a billboard van, operated by a right-wing media group known for doxxing and harassment, parked at the hospital’s entrance to target […]
We Need Action, Not Wellness Tips
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Every time you open your hospital’s employee web portal, you can guarantee you’ll be met with more “wellness tips” from your employer. Prevent burnout by drinking herbal tea! Try yoga for your back pain! Make sure […]
Victory for Mental Health Workers in Southern California
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. After months of striking, mental health workers in Kaiser Southern California ended their fight with some positive news. Their efforts, which lasted 196 days, survived through the cold of winter and terrible LA fires, and led […]
Highland Management is Out Of Touch
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. The Highland cafeteria self checkout is now up and running, but it doesn’t seem to be making the cafeteria run any more efficiently. There’s still a cashier on staff – which is helpful for those paying […]
Nothing Says ‘Well-Run Hospital’ Like New Lightbulbs
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Over the last couple of weeks at Highland you’ve probably walked under workers installing new lights – one of the last things most of us thought needed replacing. While some appreciated the additional brightness, others got […]
Working in Healthcare (AKA Sacrifice With No Returns)
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. There is an obvious healthcare crisis in the U.S. Every year thousands of people struggle to pay for medical care, and many go through the unpleasant surprise that, despite paying for health insurance every month, they […]
We Need Staff Not Signs
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Unfortunately, healthcare workers know that when dealing with the public in a high stress environment, unpredictable and threatening situations can sometimes occur. According to OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), healthcare workers are at six […]
Happy Nurses Week!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. It’s that time of year again when nurses everywhere are honored by their workplaces with tokens of appreciation. For all your hard work and dedication, you might get a keychain or a pen, or a “thank […]
Kaiser Mental Health Workers Reach Tentative Agreement
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. On Monday, May 5th, a tentative agreement (TA) was reached between the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), the union which mental health workers at Kaiser are organized in, and Kaiser in Southern California. Mental health […]
Sick and Stressed Out From Work? You’re Not Alone.
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Working at Kaiser Oakland means being prepared to deal with the effects of chronic short staffing, never-ending workloads, and long hours. It’s no surprise that so many of us end up facing physical and mental health […]
Hunger Strike by Kaiser Workers
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Southern California mental health workers at Kaiser are still on strike. They are now engaged in the longest mental health strike in U.S. history. To escalate their tactics against Kaiser, 8 mental health workers at Kaiser […]
Highland Installs New Purell Dispensers —Are New Pillows Next?
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. You may have noticed the shiny new hand soap and sanitizer dispensers installed across the hospital. While updated infection control tools are important, some of us are left wondering: Why this change – and why now? […]
Sitters Keep Patients Safe
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Many of the patients we take care of need extra help staying safe during their hospitalization. For patients who are elderly, have dementia, or are confused as a result of their illness or injury, the hospital […]
The Pitt: How America’s Broken Healthcare System Survives on the Backs of Its Workers
HBO Max just wrapped up the explosive first season of The Pitt, a highly rated and riveting medical drama. Set in a bustling ER in Pittsburgh, the series showcases many of the real problems faced by frontline healthcare workers in a large city hospital. The 15 episode season takes place over a jam packed 15 hours in the ER, where each episode covers a single hour […]
Kaiser: Parking Lot Craziness
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Two weekends ago, there were crazy scenes in the employee parking lot at Kaiser Oakland. The police chased several people into the employee lot after they had stolen cars outside the facility and entered the lot […]
Mental Health Workers Challenge Kaiser
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. As of April 7th, mental health workers in Southern California have been on strike for 26 weeks. They are protesting the Kaiser administration’s failure to meet their demands or address critical issues in the for-profit healthcare […]
Missing Pay for Certified Nurses
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. At Highland Hospital, nurses voted last July to approve a new contract that includes an additional 3% compensation for having a specialty certification. Nurses spend months preparing for these certification exams, and then maintain their certifications […]
Kaiser: National Expansion = Record Profits
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Last month, Kaiser announced their 2024 financial results, including $12.9 billion dollars in profits! This was a 300% increase in their profits compared to 2023. More than half of these new profits were from new healthcare […]
Undocumented and Avoiding Healthcare
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. It is becoming increasingly clear that more undocumented people in the Bay Area (and across the nation) are avoiding healthcare out of fear that they will have to share their immigration status to receive care, and […]
Safety Issues But No Changes
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Patients come to the hospital expecting to be safe from harm. So when a patient suffers from an avoidable accident or death while hospitalized, healthcare workers want to make sure that changes are put in place […]
Update: Highland Cafeteria Workers
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Despite over 3000 petition signatures and nearly 20 people speaking in support of our cashiers at the latest board meeting, management has decided to go through with the layoffs of these vital workers. Clearly no amount […]
Oregon Nurses Achieve Significant Wins!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. At the beginning of January, nurses at eight Providence hospitals across the state of Oregon went on strike. The strike lasted more than a month and a half, as management initially failed to meet the nurses’ […]
Our Time, Their Terms
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Why is it that we’re required to submit our schedules for the entire year a full 12 months in advance, yet our employer consistently fails to meet us halfway? We’re expected to plan our lives around […]
3,000 Voices Ignored: AHS Continues Layoffs
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Alameda Health System is still planning to lay off cashiers at Highland and Fairmont, despite a huge showing of support for these workers through a petition that circulated the hospital and received over 3,000 signatures. Management […]
Another Year, Another Ignored Concern
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. It’s that time of year again where management adds yet another task to our shifts – the annual SCORE Culture of Safety Survey. We’d be thrilled if they were actually interested in our feedback about our […]
We Stand Against Attacks on Trans People!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Healthcare workers around the country are expressing outrage over the Trump administration’s attacks on the health and safety of transgender people. In the last month, Trump signed an executive order barring institutions from receiving federal funding […]
CDC Webpages & Datasets Removed
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Some disturbing new data has been posted recently on the AHS homepage describing various webpages that have been removed from the CDC website. Between January 20 and January 31, 2025 (President Trump’s first 11 days in […]
Attacks on the Horizon at Kaiser
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Once again an attack on Kaiser workers is on the horizon. At Kaiser Vacaville and Vallejo, as well as other facilities, Kaiser management is cutting security guards and other similar contractor positions, a total of 300 […]
We Want Cashiers, Not Kiosks!
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. AHS Food and Nutrition management is considering replacing cashiers in our cafeterias at Highland and other facilities with self-serve kiosks. This plan not only poses significant challenges—like the fact that many fresh prepared foods don’t scan […]
We Keep Our Patients Safe
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Within hours of Trump’s inauguration last month, he revoked a federal policy that had previously kept hospitals and other healthcare facilities safe from immigration agent raids. Healthcare workers across the country expressed outrage that their patients […]
Kaiser Mental Health Workers Strike Reaches 100 Days While Fires Blaze
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. This Tuesday, January 28th, marks the 100th day that Kaiser Southern California mental health workers have been on strike. Kaiser management and the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), the union representing striking mental health workers, […]
Still Waiting to Get Paid
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. As of January 2023, California law requires that public hospital employers pay an additional one hour of penalty pay every time they force nurses to work through their shifts without meal or rest breaks. Alameda Health […]
Norovirus at John George: An Unacceptable Situation
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. John George Psychiatric Hospital is currently dealing with a norovirus outbreak, leading to widespread cases of vomiting and diarrhea among patients. Highly contagious infections like norovirus can spread rapidly in enclosed spaces like hospitals, but this […]
Bay Area “Sickout” for Palestine
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Last Monday, January 6th, healthcare care workers in the Bay Area and across the country called attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza by calling out sick from work in large numbers–known as a “sickout.” The […]
What’s Kaiser Planning?
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Once more, Kaiser management is planning changes to our jobs while not asking for anyone’s feedback, which negatively impacts our work. For the last year, a threat has been looming on the horizon, and now it […]
AHS Board Ignores Workers
This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. On January 8th, the Alameda Health System Board of Directors met to discuss their financial plans for the year. For the third time, AHS workers and Alameda County residents showed up to speak to the board, […]