
This strike is unique because unlike professional associations, which any member of a profession can join, union representation is limited to those who are legally able to unionize and work for an employer. Because about half of all licensed therapists work in private practices, they aren’t employees and therefore cannot unionize.
Back in August, when the strike began, the union said that it agreed to a wage offer from Kaiser yet other staffing and working conditions issues kept the two sides from striking a deal.
“The new four-year agreement will benefit Kaiser Permanente patients and drive collaborative efforts aimed at improving access to mental health care, while at the same time recognizing and better supporting mental health therapists in their important work,” they wrote in the statement.