More than 2,400 Kaiser Permanente psychologists, therapists, social workers and other mental health workers in Southern California have begun an open-ended strike over increased workloads and staffing

Workers gathered outside Kaiser hospitals in San Diego and Los Angeles counties Monday morning, launching what is to be an “open-ended” strike of Kaiser mental health care workers throughout Southern California.

The union says Kaiser has about one therapist for every 3,000 Kaiser members, compared to one per 2,000 in Northern California.