Joan Heller - during Session 5 of bargaining

Our members are making their voices heard. During Session 5 of bargaining, Joan Heller, CIC member and Optometrist (UFCW Local 7), spoke about how Kaiser’s scheduling decisions directly impact patient care. She shared the example from Colorado, where Kaiser has only one plastic surgeon who performs nipple tattoos for patients who have undergone mastectomies. When management created the schedule, these procedures were left out entirely — forcing patients to be outsourced for care. Situations like this happen far too often. If labor had a voice in scheduling, these critical services wouldn’t be overlooked, and patients would receive the care and attention they need. You can hear more of her story in the video featured below.