Overview
- Roughly 2,400 mental health clinicians represented by NUHW walked off the job across Northern California for a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. strike.
- Union leaders say Kaiser shifted initial screening from licensed clinicians to telephone operators and self-service app questionnaires that use AI, prompting mis-triage concerns and an unfair labor practice complaint.
- Kaiser says AI does not replace human assessment or make care decisions, emphasizes technology as a support tool, and reports significant hiring and investment in behavioral health.
- Facilities remained open during the action, though Kaiser said some elective surgeries and non-urgent appointments could be rescheduled.
- The therapists’ contract expired Sept. 30, with disputes over workload protections, layoff language, and limits on technology; bargaining resumed with additional sessions planned later in March, including March 25, as regulators continue monitoring Kaiser’s mental health access compliance.