Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers walked off the job Tuesday morning, kicking off a five-day strike that will impact over 500 hospitals and medical facilities across California and Hawaii. Beginning at 7 a.m. Pacific Time and running until 7 a.m. Sunday, the protest marks the largest labor action in the 50-year history of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals.
At the heart of the strike are demands for safe staffing levels, fair wages, and stronger protections for patient care. “Kaiser employees are launching a 5-day strike against Kaiser Permanente – not because they want to, but because they have to,” the union said in its media release.
Strike Highlights
- Duration: 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Sunday (5 days)
- Facilities affected: 500+ hospitals and medical centers
- Union: United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals
- Kaiser reach: 12.6 million members, 600 medical offices, 40 hospitals
Kaiser Permanente called the work stoppage “unnecessary and disruptive,” but reiterated its commitment to negotiate an agreement that balances “fair pay with high-quality, affordable care.” Based in Oakland, California, Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest not-for-profit health plans in the United States, serving communities throughout the western region.
As the strike unfolds, both sides face pressure to find a deal that addresses staffing shortages and wage concerns while minimizing disruptions to patients. For now, frontline healthcare workers remain determined: they say this moment is about securing the resources needed to keep communities healthy and facilities running safely.
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Tens of thousands of healthcare workers strike across U.S. West Coast
cgtn.com
