Nurses protested at 22 Kaiser Permanente facilities across the state of California on Tuesday, saying they want to call attention to layoffs, wage theft and the use of ‘untested technologies’ as artificial intelligence becomes more commonly used in the hospital setting.
Outside the Vacaville Medical Center, a few dozen nurses joined in on the nationwide demonstration.
Kaiser Permanente leadership told CBS Sacramento that this demonstration was not a strike and there was no disruption in hospital service Tuesday.
“The nationwide effort is to keep nurses at the bedside and not replace us with AI technology,” said Gina Macalino, a registered nurse in Vacaville.
Nurses CBS Sacramento spoke with on the picket line say some AI use in the right context is fine, but they fear certain uses are already going too far.
“Nursing is a science, and we believe that computers can never replace the care that a nurse can give a patient,” said Macalino.
Nurses say they fear that what is right now a gradual implementation of AI could one day mean the technology takes their jobs if they are not part of those conversations today about what it should look like and what is safe for their patients.
“We feel like the power of touch is healing to people, instead of a computer that can misdiagnose you,” said Macalino.
Kaiser Permanente leaders say that in their facilities, AI tools do not make medical decisions and can be used to benefit both patients and staff members.
“Kaiser right now is attempting to lay off nurses in San Rafael and the outpatient setting, and we have a feeling that that is going to spread throughout,” said Macalino.
Those pending layoffs next month in San Rafael will impact 41 nurses. A Kaiser Permanente spokesperson told CBS Sacramento that the layoffs reflect a needed “rebalance of resources” post-pandemic and that quality of care will not be affected.
They added that twenty-one of those impacted nurses have already been redeployed into positions.
Still, the California Nurses Association is fighting back against the layoffs, calling them profit-driven and claiming Kaiser is replacing nurses with cheaper telehealth, computer-based alternatives.
“Running us short and running us with a bare minimum, skeleton staff is not okay. They are raking in millions and billions of dollars in profits, and they need that money to go back to the bedside to help us take care of our patients,” said Macalino.
Here is the full statement Kaiser Permanente sent CBS Sacramento in light of Tuesday’s demonstrations:
“This one-day informational picketing is part of a national campaign, National Nurses United (NNU)/California Nurses Association (CNA) is conducting. We refute any allegations that this picketing is about concerns of care quality and service at Kaiser Permanente — CNA is simply using this day of action as an opportunity to gain visibility for their union. Kaiser Permanente meets or exceeds staffing regulations and we consistently deliver high-quality care to our members and patients. We are not in contract bargaining with CNA and these demonstrations are not part of a work stoppage and do not impact our care delivery or operations, which will continue as normal. We reached agreement on a generous 4-year contract with CNA in 2022 that provides our nurses with competitive wages, excellent benefits, valuable professional opportunities, and a work environment committed to their well-being and safety.
Kaiser Permanente is empowering nurses with state-of-the-art tools and technologies that support our mission of providing high-quality, affordable health care to best meet our members’ and patients’ needs. We have consistently invested in and embraced technology that enables nurses to work more effectively, resulting in improved patient outcomes and nurse satisfaction, and we will continue to do so. At Kaiser Permanente, artificial intelligence (AI) tools don’t make medical decisions — our physicians and care teams are always at the center of decision making with our patients. We believe that AI may be able to help our physicians and employees and enhance our members’ experience. As an organization dedicated to inclusiveness and health equity, we ensure the results from AI tools are correct and unbiased; AI does not replace human assessment,” the statement reads.
Sitting on Governor Newsom’s desk awaiting signature is Senate Bill 7, a law just passed by the state legislature called the “No Robo Bosses Act” which aims to restrict AI use in any workforce.
If the Governor signs it, it would become law Jan. 1, 2026.