SEIU-United Healthcare Workers employees stage a protest at Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center in 2018. File photo

Central Valley Kaiser Permanente workers will join more than 40 California facilities picketing Wednesday over what they say is unsafe staffing amidst a patient care crisis in the health care system.

The protest comes less than three months before their contract expires.

“We are understaffed, overworked, and stretched so thin during our shifts,” stated Lori Pimentel, who works in scheduling for the gastroenterology department at Kaiser’s Vacaville site, according to a news release from the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. “Kaiser has made billions in profits over the last five years, yet they’re not investing enough to keep caregivers at our facility.”

Pickets at Washington, Oregon and Colorado facilities are taking place this week as well, representing more than 85,000 health care workers across seven states and the District of Columbia, according to the release.

The release stated that Kaiser Permanente has profited more than $21 billion over the past five years, doubling the health care provider’s net worth to $58.9 billion from 2018 to 2022.

Kaiser Permanente issued a statement on Friday saying that its staffing situation is not as dire as the rest of the industry, and that in some regions, it is paying 28% above market average wage rates.

“Our priority is to reach an agreement that ensures we can continue to provide market-competitive pay and outstanding benefits,” according to the Kaiser statement. “We are confident we’ll be able to reach an agreement that strengthens our position as a best place to work and ensures that the high-quality care our members expect from us remains affordable and easy to access.”

The statement also said that during the picket, medical facilities will remain open and continue to operate normally.

Kaiser Permanente is the largest union-represented health care employer in the U.S., with nearly 75% of employees represented by unions.

The current workforce contract is set to expire on September 30.