Mental health workers on strike in Southern California say Kaiser Permanente is woefully understaffed, its therapists are burned out, and patients are often denied timely access to care. The insurer says it has largely fixed the problem.

Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to Kaiser and the union president urging them to settle the strike through mediation.

The union reports that the strike has left thousands of Kaiser patients facing long waits and canceled appointments. Mediation talks could begin as early as February 17.

Mental health workers in Los Angeles staged a mass protest Friday outside Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center, risking arrest to highlight the ongoing strike over inadequate resources and patient care.