A labor group representing nearly 1,800 Kaiser Permanente workers plans to strike and picket the health provider's Honolulu clinic on Jan. 19 to prevent the subcontracting of union jobs.

United Here Local 5 said the “;limited-duration strike”; will begin at 6 a.m. and last until at least 6 p.m., with the likelihood that it will extend into a second day, according to spokesman Cade Watanabe.

“;We want to be able to send a very strong message to Kaiser about the need for us to work together to protect good jobs in our community,”; he said.

Watanabe said the union learned recently that Kaiser plans to subcontract its mail-order pharmacy work—18 positions—to Colorado, and that Local 5 is concerned that Kaiser subsequently may decide to subcontract work in other departments, such as accounting, billing and reservations.

Local 5 said it officially informed Kaiser and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service of its strike plans in a formal letter that was delivered yesterday. The union, which said it was required to give 10 days notice, said the strike and picket announcement also comes one day after it filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Kaiser for trying to implement the subcontracting of union work and bargaining in bad faith.

Spokesperson Lynn Kenton of Kaiser said late yesterday that the health care provider had not received the notice, that Kaiser continues to negotiate in good faith and that it hopes to reach “;a fair and equitable agreement”; with the union.

“;Kaiser continually strives to provide our members quality service at affordable prices, especially during these challenging economic times,”; she said. “;There are no plans to eliminate positions because of our operational change to consolidate mail pharmacy services with our Colorado region.”;

Kenton also said Kaiser employees received slight salary increases in 2009 and that the company intends to do the same for its Local 5 representative employees in current negotiations.

Local 5 said it expects more than 500 union members to participate in the strike and picket, including all the union employees at the Honolulu clinic as well as some of Local 5's unionized hotel members and retirees.

Dona Clamucha, a pharmacy cashier with Kaiser, said she was opposed to the subcontracting because “;we deserve better.”;

“;In these economic times, we have to keep jobs in Hawaii, not ship them off to the mainland,”; she said.