Kaiser Optometry Team Joins One Day Strike in N. Virginia
Closed yesterday in Falls Church was the Medical Center Optometry Department of Kaiser Permanente, along with six other regional departments as part of a strike sanctioned by the union representing them.
The strike over wages, patient care, and staffing shortages involved some 75,000 workers at 39 hospitals. Nationwide, the strike involves licensed vocational nurses, home health aides, ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy, and emergency departments.
In Virginia and DC, the strike involves roughly 400 pharmacists and optometrists who are covered by the bargaining agreement that ended at midnight.
The strike comes as health care workers say they are burned out from heavy workloads. Unions want a $25 minimum wage, with seven raises each year in the first two years and 6.25 percent each year in the two years afterward, according to The Associated Press. Kaiser Permanente proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year, depending on the location.
The nonprofit Kaiser Permanente provides coverage for nearly 13 million people.
Kaine Introduces Bill to ‘End Future Shutdowns’
Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine issued the following statement this week when a disastrous shutdown of the federal government was barely averted:
“This week, we came dangerously close to yet another government shutdown. It was stressful for everyone, especially the selfless and dedicated government employees who were at risk of going without paychecks, including over 170,000 who live right here in Virginia.
“Although the crisis was narrowly averted at the last minute, I fully expect us to be in the same precarious situation a month and a half from now, thanks to Republicans’ willingness to play political games with the functioning of our government.
“This reckless brinkmanship is harmful to our economy, our government’s credibility, and to our democracy.
“I am sick and tired of these senseless shutdowns over petty political fights that don’t matter to the American people. That’s why I introduced legislation to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
“The End Shutdowns Act is designed to prevent shutdowns from happening by initiating an automatic continuing resolution if no appropriations bill is passed by the funding deadline.”
F.C.’s Meridian H.S. Ranked 8th in Region
Northern Virginia Magazine has ranked the Top 25 high schools in the region and the Falls Church Public Schools’ Meridian High School was ranked eighth.
Ranked first is the Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, followed by Fairfax County’s Langley, McLean, Freedom, Oakton and Madison schools and Loudoun’s Rock Ridge. Highest ranked from Arlington is Yorktown, at No. 11.
The rankings are based on data from the 2021-2022 school year reported to the Virginia Department of Education, the magazine says.
Blue Grass Highway Fest Wins Coveted Music Award
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) this week issued a statement congratulating the Blue Highway Fest in Big Stone Gap for winning the coveted 2023 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Industry Event of the Year Award.
The Blue Highway Fest was recognized Thursday, Sept. 28 with the prestigious award during the annual IBMA conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Blue Highway Fest was nominated for this award alongside other events from around the world, including Durango Bluegrass Meltdown in Colorado, Pickin’ in the Pines in Arizona, and Bluegrass in La Roche in France.
The Blue Highway Fest celebrates the rich heritage of bluegrass and roots music, food, and culture of the Southwest Virginia region. Musical performances will be each day on multiple stages along with interactive songwriter workshops. This year’s event will take place Oct. 11-14, 2023 in downtown Big Stone Gap.
