Kaiser mental health workers strike across California

Kaiser Permanente mental health workers strike in Los Angeles on Tuesday as thousands join them across California in a five-day action over staffing and wait times, among other major issues.

Some 4,000 psychologists, social workers, therapists and several other professions represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) are striking until Friday.

The staffing issues "force patients to wait a month or more for therapy appointments," they say.

"This strike is a clear message to Kaiser that its mental health clinicians won’t stand by silently while their patients can’t get the care they need," read the NUHW statement.