Kaiser Permanente's mental health workers to start weeklong, statewide strike Jan. 12

Hundreds of Kaiser Permanent's mental health professionals plan to go on a weeklong strike in California starting Jan. 12 to protest what they say is the health care provider's failure to offer timely, quality mental health care.

The Contra Costa Times reports (http://bit.ly/1AkswxZ ) Kaiser Permanente's 2,600 psychologists, therapists and social workers are represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

They say the problem is in part due to inadequate staffing and that more than 700 other Kaiser workers who also report staffing problems will join their strike.

Kaiser says in a statement it plans to meet with the union next week.

The state fined Kaiser $4 million in 2013 for failing to provide mental health treatment in a timely manner.

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Information from: The Contra Costa Times, http://www.contracostatimes.com