🧠 Mental Health Workers vs. AI Austerity

“Support workers, not algorithms.”

Over five days in early April, eight mental health professionals at Kaiser Permanente’s LA Medical Center went on hunger strike. Their goal: to force attention on dangerous understaffing, AI-driven burnout, and a broken system of care.

“Kaiser forces us to treat patients like they’re on an assembly line,” said LCSW Kassaundra Gutierrez-Thompson. “Nobody benefits from that.”

Despite a $200M state penalty for mental health violations—including a record $50M fine—Kaiser has only resolved 1 of 20 identified problems. Workers say Kaiser’s focus on “future-proofing” through automation is failing both staff and patients .

This strike wasn’t just about Kaiser. It was a line in the sand. Against AI-led austerity. Against burnout passed off as innovation. Against “efficiency” replacing empathy.

✊ Resistance with a Human Face

• Strikers leafleted board members’ businesses, linking care failures to corporate profiteering.
• A 40-foot crocheted banner reading “Mental Health Revolution” was unfurled at an AI summit where Kaiser’s CEO spoke.
• Patients, fellow workers, and local officials, including Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove and even Tom Morello, showed up in solidarity .
• This Saturday, strikers spoke on stage at the Sanders–Ocasio-Cortez “Fighting Oligarchy” rally in Los Angeles.
  

🧵 Brian Merchant's report from the picket line

🔗 Follow the union’s updates

📷 See picket photos

📝 Read their demands