Healthcare workers fight back in California

by Evelina Alarcon

This article was reprinted from the May 11, 1996 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

LOS ANGELES - It wasn't the Tournament of Roses. It was May Day and more than 1,000 health care workers, members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) had taken over the streets of Pasadena as they marched and rallied to protest proposed cutbacks, wage freezes and layoffs by Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest health maintenance organization (HMO).

Andrew Stern, the newly-elected SEIU international president, addressed a simultaneous demonstration of SEIU and other union members in Oakland.

"This is an unprecedented level of statewide organization forced upon us by the unprecedented attack on Kaiser workers," said Mike Garcia, a member of the SEIU international executive board and principle officer of Local 399, speaking to the Los Angeles rally. "This historic, united fightback of 30,000 California Kaiser workers in SEIU locals 250, 399 and 535 is not going to go away," he said, as the sea of cheering workers responded with whistles and shouts.

In their march through downtown Pasadena to Kaiser's southern California headquarters demonstrators -- blowing whistles, beating drums and carrying picket signs -- caught the attention of honking motorists as their ranks stretched for five city blocks.

When confronted with a barricade meant to prevent entry to Kaiser property, marchers broke through the barriers to hold a second rally. Sustained shouts of "Hell no, we won't go!" and "No Contract, No Peace!," finally forced company executives to meet with a union delegation.

Jorge Rodriguez, SEIU's political action director, presented Kaiser with a petition signed by elected officials, labor and community leaders demanding a public hearing where Kaiser's 4.8 million members can hear the ugly truth of Kaiser's "vicious and ruthless" restructuring plans.

Signers of the petition presented to Kaiser included U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, Congressional representatives Julian Dixon, Henry Waxman, Lucille Roybal-Allard, state senators Richard Polanco, Tom Hayden and Hilda Solis, the Union of American Physicians and 63 other organizations.

"Kaiser must be accountable for the reckless changes they are making," Garcia told the World. "They want to close hospitals, and other facilities, slash wages, put our people on the unemployment line, reduce the workforce and contract out half of what is Kaiser today to non union health care providers," he said. "We are here to give Kaiser the message that we will not accept any of this. We will not go away because we are concerned about quality health care."

Georgette Gray, who has worked in one of Kaiser's mental health facilities for 15 years, said cutbacks have resulted in "hurry up, get 'em in, get 'em out, medicate them, sink- or-swim policies. Kaiser wants to replace workers and programs with books and pamphlets. We must demand Kaiser stop jeopardizing health care!"

Miguel Contreras, COPE director for the half-million-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, warned that if Kaiser refuses to agree to a fair contract, "the unions of L.A. County will fight. If Kaiser wants to fight the labor movement in Los Angeles, then let's get it on!"

Participants came from cities throughout southern California, many of them wearing blue and white smocks because they came right from work. Tania Flowers, a worker from Harbor City, told the World she brought her two daughters because she wants them to "learn to fightback."

Yolanda, her 8-year-old daughter, said she had come "to support my mother." Little Tania, her younger sister, nodded her head in agreement as all three marched off singing, "We are the union, the mighty, mighty union.