For the second day, dozens of healthcare workers picketed outside Kaiser Permanente’s Moreno Valley Medical Center. It’s part of a nationwide strike to demand better wages and to push Kaiser to hire more employees.
Dan Jackson has worked in IT at Kaiser Permanente for more than 18 years. He says the cost of living in the Inland Empire has increased, but wages for Kaiser workers haven’t.
“The inflation rate… everything is high gas, almost $7 a gallon and they're giving us pennies on the dollar. It’s not gonna make it anymore when we know you’re making billions of dollars," said Jackson.
In an email, a spokesman for Kaiser said they “remain committed to reaching a new agreement.”
The Moreno Valley Medical Center has stayed open through the strike. Kaiser has brought in contract nurses and staff to fill in. The strike is set to end Saturday morning.
Kaiser has strong roots in the region. According to Kaiser’s website, the model for the healthcare system was created in the Mojave Desert.