Mental health workers on strike in Southern California say Kaiser Permanente is woefully understaffed, its therapists are burned out, and patients are often denied timely access to care. The insurer says it has largely fixed the problem.

The union reports that the strike has left thousands of Kaiser patients facing long waits and canceled appointments. Mediation talks could begin as early as February 17.

Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to Kaiser and the union president urging them to settle the strike through mediation.

Kaiser’s public comments about the negotiations have been strident and consistent. The health giant’s most recent update, emailed to Capital & Main by a spokesperson, reiterated long-established talking points that the union is exacerbating the problem by not accepting Kaiser’s terms.

Law enforcement officers were seen responding to a protest outside Kaiser Los Angeles Medical Center in the East Hollywood area, led by a union which has accused the company of unfair labor conditions.

Mental health workers in Los Angeles staged a mass protest Friday outside Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center, risking arrest to highlight the ongoing strike over inadequate resources and patient care.