California Health care workers fight back

[Charlotte Kates <ckates@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

**California Health care workers fight back**

(Reprinted from the May 11, 1996 issue of the People's
Weekly World. May be reprinted or reposted with PWW credit.
For subscription information see below)

By Evelina Alarcon

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."

In a new approach to dealing with the health care giant, the
three SEIU locals representing Kaiser workers have formed a
strategic alliance, agreeing to support each other's
bargaining efforts and coordinate negotiations.

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.
##30##
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_____________________________________________________________________________
    Charlotte L. Kates     ckates@xxxxxxxxxxxx        Collingswood, NJ

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