YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP | | | | The largest health care employee strike in American history. | | | |
More than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers and support staff have walked off the job in several states. Also in the news: An interim speaker can keep the House operating, but with little political sway and Simone Biles leads the U.S. women's gymnastics team to a seventh consecutive world title. | | | |
Here is the news to know this Thursday. |
Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers strike |
Kaiser Permanente employees are picketing outside dozens of facilities in a three-day action union officials were calling the largest health care employee strike in American history. |
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said the ongoing walkout is to protest "unfair labor practices and unsafe staffing levels" at hundreds of Kaiser hospitals and facilities. The unions have demanded improved staffing and across-the-board raises over the next four years. |
| • | The contract between Kaiser and unions ended Saturday and the two sides had not agreed on a new deal by Wednesday morning, when employees formed strike lines to picket outside Kaiser hospitals and medical offices in California, Colorado, Washington and Oregon during the planned three-day action. | | • | Union demands: Workers want Kaiser to improve staffing levels that became stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic and address cost of living increases in their wages and benefits, union officials told USA TODAY. | | • | What does the strike mean for patients? Without a deal, Kaiser said, it would enact contingency plans "to ensure members continue to receive safe, high-quality care for the duration of the strike." | | Jovanna Segura uses a bullhorn to lead chants with striking health care workers in front of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Panorama City, Calif. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY |
Who is speaker of the House today? |
Kevin McCarthy's removal as House speaker after 269 days on the job raises multiple questions, such as who will take his spot now that the seat is vacant and whether the House will be able to resume its normal duties. The fallout comes days after a stopgap measure was passed in the House and Senate to temporarily fund the government until mid-November, when another potential shutdown looms. Formally, the House can function without a speaker. But politically it can be complicated, experts said. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., was chosen to be acting House speaker from that list. But without the recognition of the majority, McHenry has limited capacity to direct politics. Read more | Speaker of the House pro tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., leaves the Speaker's office to go the floor of the House on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein, AP |
Biden to deliver 'major speech' on Ukraine funding |
President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he will be delivering a "major" speech on Ukraine as his administration pushes Congress to keep providing military assistance. The 45-day funding bill that prevented a federal government shutdown late Saturday did not provide any aid to Ukraine. The U.S. can support the embattled nation with previously approved resources for now, Biden said, and there may be another means by which he can supply funding. Read more |
Forgiveness for some student borrowers, repayment resumes for others |
Another 125,000 student loan borrowers will have $9 billion in student loan debt erased, the Biden administration said Wednesday. The administration's actions – which Education Secretary Miguel Cardona described as "efforts to fix the broken student loan system" – come as student loan payments return for millions of borrowers after a more than three-year hiatus during the pandemic. Some of these borrowers have just now, coincidentally, met all the criteria to have their loans forgiven. But others, because of bureaucratic mix-ups or other obstacles, never got the relief they were entitled to until now. Read more |
Simone Biles leads U.S. women's team to seventh straight world gymnastics title |
The U.S. women got another world title. The Americans won their seventh consecutive team title at the world gymnastics championships, breaking a tie with China's men. The team gold also was Simone Biles' 33rd medal at the world championships and Olympics, tying Vitaly Scherbo for most by any gymnast. Biles closed the meet with an authoritative routine on floor exercise. She got massive height on her tumbling passes and, after having to pull her heels up to stay in bounds on the first, nailed the landings on her last three passes. Read more | Simone Biles competes on the beam on Wednesday. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD, AFP via Getty Images |
Photo of the day: Which bear is the fattest? |
Fat Bear Week began Wednesday at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The March Madness-style bracket competition pits some of Katmai's bulkiest and most beloved bears against each other in the arena of public opinion. The bears with the most votes at the end of each day advance to the next round until a champion is crowned Oct. 10. Read more | Bear 806 Jr. is already a winner as 2023's Fat Bear Week Junior champion. National Park Service, F. Jimenez |
Associated Press contributed reporting. | | | | Get your organization awarded as an employer of choice by USA TODAY. Participation is easy. | | | | | | | |
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