Kaiser pharmacists going to strike

[Vyvanase]

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Surprised nobody has brought this up in the forums.

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Kaiser pharmacists prepare for work stoppage

Kevin Smith, Staff Writer

Posted: 04/19/2011 02:13:58 PM PDT

Some 1,400 Kaiser Permanente pharmacists are poised to stage a two-day work stoppage on Thursday and Friday over "unprecedented benefit reductions."

Ralph Vogel, president of the Guild for Professional Pharmacists that represents the employees, said Guild pharmacists and the
Guild's negotiating committee for Kaiser's Southern California region authorized the action.

"We'll do a two-day work stoppage and if that doesn't get us anywhere ... we'll extend it for a week or two and go from there," he said.

Kaiser is advising members to get prescriptions filled before Thursday.

Vogel said Kaiser wants to do away with the pharmacists' defined benefit plan for retirement and replace it with one that would significantly
reduce the benefits employees could accrue in their later work years.

"If someone is there for 20 years, the next 10 years is where it really builds up," he said. "Now it would be like someone is basically starting all over again."

Another proposed change would do away with all medical coverage upon retirement. Kaiser also wants to hike employee co-pays for prescriptions and doctor visits, according to Vogel.

"We have about 1,400 pharmacists who are furious with this," he said. "They've put a lot of time and work into their jobs and now they're feeling like all of that work doesn't matter."

Kaiser spokesman Jim Anderson wouldn't comment on the ongoing labor negotiations but emphasized that contingency plans are in place to minimize disruption to both patients and members.

"We'll welcome them back on Saturday, and when they come back we'll continue to bargain with them," he said. "We hope to reach a settlement that is equitable and fair to both parties."

Anderson said the work stoppage will impact pharmacy operations at 13 medical centers and various ancillary offices throughout Kaiser's Southern California network.

"We'll have provisions in place for patients who are hospitalized to make sure they get the drugs and treatment they need," he said. "Others will be notified in advance, or if they appear at a pharmacy they will be given directions on what to do to get their needs met."

Kaiser has advised members with urgent prescription needs to visit any local Walgreens on Thursday or Friday. Kaiser members will pay

 

[bacillus1]

Impressive. Kaiser sounds like a good place to work.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

They'll wind up getting something they wouldn't have otherwise by negotiating as a group.

Those damn useless unions. 🙄

 

[confettiflyer]

Impressive. Kaiser sounds like a good place to work.

Yup, they're some of the highest paid pharmacists in CA (last I checked in 2009 ~$64/hr, not confirmed in any way). Kind of the "gold standard" of pharmacy jobs and very difficult to get one there. If only I could be so lucky, haha. Outpatient = no third party insurance, all physicians in-network and pretty much prescribe to formulary. Great Staff IPA model.

 

[sanrevelle]

wow, pharmacists can strike?? amaaazing.

 

[MountainPharmD]

This will not turn out well for the Pharmacists.

Google Pharmacist stike in Illinois a few years ago and read how well the Walgreens Pharmacist stike worked out.

A union is only as stong as its members will to go on strike to get what they want. How long do you think the Pharmacists will go on strike without pay? Not very long. Kaiser can hold out much longer than the Pharmacists. All they have to do is bring in relief help and contract with another Pharmacy, which they have, and they can hold out forever.

How long do you think a Pharmacist with a fat mortgage and 3 kids is going to sit out without pay?

 

[womp]

Striking is a bluff that generally screws the strikers if the employer calls on the bluff. Looks like Kaiser is going to call it as they have contingency plans ready.

This is the future of healthcare as salaried employees.

 

[lorain]

as long as you got plenty of rph with 150K loans and bills to pay, they will always find replacements....strike is not the answer

 

[PharmaTope]

i hope the pharmacists make out well on this situation!!!

i wish pharmacists were in unions everywhere. they have their ups and downs but in the end, unionized workers always benefit well.

 

[rph3664]

People are very divided about Kaiser; they either think it's the greatest thing that ever happened to healthcare, or they hate hate hate it. When my sister moved to California in the mid 1990s, I told her to go without insurance before using Kaiser (and she has health problems and MUST be insured). She had already heard that, more than once. At least if you're uninsured, you KNOW nobody else is going to pay that bill.

 

[eddie269]

is this in all states? I have a Kaiser near where I work so I wonder if this will increase transfers.

Although it takes almost an act of God to get a transfer done same day with kaiser since we got to fax them for every request.

 

[confettiflyer]

is this in all states? I have a Kaiser near where I work so I wonder if this will increase transfers.

Although it takes almost an act of God to get a transfer done same day with kaiser since we got to fax them for every request.

Even if they could transfer to you, unless Kaiser makes an exception during the strike, they won't pay you and the pt has to pay cash.

 

[confettiflyer]

i wish pharmacists were in unions everywhere. they have their ups and downs but in the end, unionized workers always benefit well.

...until the company goes bankrupt.

 

[sanrevelle]

why do people hate kaiser?

i've had kaiser insurance for most of my life and so far they've done me a lot of good.

 

[Farmercyst]

People are very divided about Kaiser; they either think it's the greatest thing that ever happened to healthcare, or they hate hate hate it. When my sister moved to California in the mid 1990s, I told her to go without insurance before using Kaiser (and she has health problems and MUST be insured). She had already heard that, more than once. At least if you're uninsured, you KNOW nobody else is going to pay that bill.

Most of the people I know that have Kaiser like it. Don't know many that had Kaiser and left, so I can't say about that. I've had no problems with them. My wife grew up with Kaiser. She was non-Kaiser for about 3 years after we got married, and then went back when I started at USC and couldn't afford anything else. I'd rather be insured than a burden on everyone else personally, but what do I know.

 

[Auriel619]

Some updated news: Strike Averted temporarily

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/california/ci_17885061
Threatened Kaiser pharmacy strike averted

By Melissa Evans Staff Writer
Posted: 04/20/2011 09:38:42 AM PDT


Negotiators with Kaiser Permanente and the union representing pharmacists have reached a tentative agreement that will halt a planned strike Thursday and Friday, officials on both sides said.
Roughly 1,300 pharmacists in Kaiser's Southern California clinics and hospitals planned to walk off the job this week because of a stalemate over benefits. The strike was to include Kaiser's South Bay Medical Center in Harbor City.
Both sides reached tentative agreement late Tuesday night. Bargaining will continue today in hopes of reaching a permanent contract for the workers, officials said.
"We're very pleased that (the negotiators) reached as much progress as they did," said Jim Anderson, Kaiser spokesman. "We're very confident that progress will continue."
An official with the Guild for Professional Pharmacists said Wednesday that the agreement is temporary. The strike may be called again if benefits are not restored to the workers, officials said.
Kaiser had planned to close hundreds of pharmacies in the wake of a potential strike, sending patients to Walgreens with paper prescriptions instead.
"We are glad the pharmacists will be on the job (today) and Friday," Anderson said. "We're happy to return to business as usual."