Thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers have walked off the job for three days. The union representing these workers points to unfair labor practices and says Kaiser was refusing to bargain. They want raises for workers who they say are stretched thin amid a serious employee shortage. Workers say that shortage is having a big impact on patient care.
"Patients are not getting their phone calls, they're not getting their results, they're not getting their appointments, they're not getting anything that actually they pay their insurance for because Kaiser will not allow, will not hire any more staff," said Shannon Jones, a medical assistant on the Denver picket lines.
In a statement emailed to In the NoCo, Kaiser representatives said they’re at the bargaining table with union leaders. They said they had reached an agreement on several proposals as of late Tuesday.
Also on today's show — what sprouted from a group of volunteer musicians a century ago has blossomed into a Northern Colorado institution. The Fort Collins Symphony's Wes Kenney tells us how he is keeping the symphony relevant and working to draw in more diverse audiences as the symphony begins its 100th season this weekend.
