More than 500 dialysis caregivers launched a two-day strike Monday over what they call unfair labor practices at nearly two dozen Satellite Healthcare and Fresenius Kidney Care clinics across California, including ones in Gilroy, San Jose and Brentwood.
The workers are represented by SEIU United Healthcare Workers, which says management from both corporations has violated U.S. labor laws by "threatening and intimidating caregivers, firing workers for trying to form a union and speaking out to improve patient care."
Registered nurses, patient care technicians, social workers, hemodialysis technicians, and other caregivers who provide weekly dialysis treatments said in a news release management is putting staff and patients at risk to increase profits while violating their rights.
Licensed vocational nurses, certified clinical hemodialysis technicians, dietitians, clinical administrative coordinators, and receptionists will also be on strike Monday and Tuesday.
According to the union, Fresenius Medical Care made nearly $710 million in profits and paid its CEO about $5 million in compensation in 2022. Satellite Healthcare made $16.7 million in profits and paid its CEO $1.5 million in compensation in 2021.
In contrast, many dialysis caregivers make as little as $17 an hour and routinely hold two or more jobs to make ends meet, the union said.
Satellite Healthcare said in a statement to NBC Bay Area its centers will be open Monday and Tuesday, and patients will continue receiving care.
"While we dispute the union’s claims about Satellite, we respect the rights of these striking employees to engage in lawful union activities and are in discussions with the union," the statement said.
Fresenius Kidney Care said in a statement its clinic locations in California "have contingency plans in place to ensure that our patients receive the safe, high-quality care they count on us for."
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"We respect our employees’ rights to engage in this action and other lawful activities. Fresenius Kidney Care is committed to bargaining in good faith and to reaching agreements that support our employees and our mission of patient service. Negotiations with SEIU-UHW are just at the beginning stages – to date, we have had two "framework" sessions that are designed to reach alignment on the various topics that would become standard language across multiple clinic contracts/locations. Given this, we are surprised and disappointed that the union is already calling for a strike."
Rallies and picket lines were scheduled at Satellite Healthcare clinics in Gilroy, at 7 a.m. Monday, and San Jose (Santana Row), at 11 a.m. Monday.
Frenius Kidney Care has one Bay Area location in Brentwood affected by the strike.
