In Oakland, Kaiser Nurses Take Staffing, AI Concerns to the Picket Lines
Nurses at nearly two dozen Kaiser facilities across California are picketing to protest their concerns about inadequate staffing and potentially questionable AI practices in the company’s future patient care technology.
The scarlet-clad nurses gathered outside Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center on Tuesday, holding signs and chanting for “safe staffing” levels.
The Kaiser workers’ latest action is a sign that ongoing contract negotiations between the hospital and its union, the California Nurses Association, are already hitting a snag since their existing deal expired Aug. 31.
Outside the center on Broadway, veteran pediatric nurse Craig Cedotal said that, in nearly a dozen bargaining sessions so far, management has failed to properly address his concerns.
Cedotal said he believes Kaiser’s short staffing is evidenced by the Assignment Despite Objection forms that procedure nurses use to signal concerns on a shift. “We’re talking about 5,000 of them altogether,” he said, regarding the volume of forms submitted.
“We know what the problems are — they disagree with what we say — but that’s not uncommon for management to disagree,” he added.
In a statement, Kaiser said it staffs at state-mandated ratios using a system that the company co-developed alongside the California Nurses Association.
Workers accused management of manipulating that system to their advantage, with avoidable consequences.
“Mixing infectious patients with noninfectious patients … that happens. Now, we do have PPE that we can put on,” Cedotal said, using shorthand for personal protective equipment. “But if you can staff to a point where you don’t even have to risk the exposure, why would you?”
The protest also marked yet another opportunity for workers to voice their objections to the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the health care system, which they said could inappropriately influence staffing decisions and care.
“Nursing, we need to speak to our patients. We’re compassionate because we’re humans, right?” said patient care coordinator and bargaining team member Robin Carson. “AI does not have compassion.”
Kaiser said its deal with CNA already ensures that technology supports its nurses to care for patients and apply their clinical expertise, not to replace them.
Union leaders said the two sides have not yet discussed wages. Talks are expected to resume Wednesday.