The labor dispute comes one year after Kaiser reached a $50 million settlement with state regulators who said the health care giant's mental health care system lacked adequate staffing that caused lapses in access to care for patients.

Unionized mental health workers in Southern California began their strike on Monday to demand better pay, benefits and more staffing.

Almost 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers went on strike Monday in Southern California to demand better pay and more time to treat their patients. The system of care is “broken,” said the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which is representing the striking employees.