Kaiser strike grows as additional workers expected to walk out Monday

LOS ANGELES - The ongoing Kaiser strike will soon enter its third week.

What we know:

31,000 registered nurses and health care workers with United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) have been striking since Jan. 26 across Kaiser facilities in California and Hawaii. 

The strike will expand on Monday, Feb. 9 when more than 3,000 pharmacy and laboratory workers walk out.

"United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Southern California locals representing Kaiser Permanente pharmacy and laboratory employees have delivered a 10-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike notice to Kaiser Permanente executives. The ULP strike is set to begin on Monday, February 9 at Kaiser facilities throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Kern counties, to protest Kaiser's labor violations throughout negotiations that have jeopardized patient care quality and prevented frontline health care workers from getting the fair contract they deserve," UNAC/UHCP wrote in a statement. 

According to the union, national bargaining has been stalled for more than a month, after Kaiser management reportedly walked away from the table in December. They said as a result of that, UNAC/UHCP, UFCW Local 770 and other unions with the Alliance of Health Care Unions filed Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging Kaiser "unlawfully refused to bargain in an attempt to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining process and interfere with good-faith negotiations that had been ongoing since April 2025."

The other side:

Kaiser Permanente issued a statement saying, "This strike by UNAC/UCHP is unnecessary, disruptive for our members and patients, and counterproductive to reaching a contract agreement.

Fortunately, the number of employees who are choosing to return to work has been growing, with more than 35% back at work across the striking locations, and as high as 55% back at work in some locations. These returning employees are joining the many physicians, nurses, staff, managers and contingency staff to continue delivering care for our patients and members throughout the strike. We are actively rescheduling those non-urgent procedures which had to be postponed over the past week.

We are hearing from employees who are afraid to return to work as they are being threatened by their union with fines for coming back in to care for patients. Employees who want to return to care for patients should not face any level of intimidation from their unions. We are committed to protecting our employees from harassment and retaliation."

It’s important to remember why we’re here: For more than eight months, Kaiser Permanente has worked to reach national and local agreements that support our employees, our partnership, and care affordability — yet the Alliance’s and UNAC/UHCP’s actions have stalled progress and undermined the national bargaining process. These actions undermine constructive engagement and disrupt our shared commitment to serving patients and members. Additionally, UNAC/UHCP’s wage demands are unsustainable. They would make health care less affordable for Kaiser Permanente members and customers. And, they would have broad reaching implications for health care costs in every market we serve.

We are disappointed that union leaders chose to strike knowing the effect it could have on patient access and experience. Our commitment remains unwavering, and we will continue to take the necessary steps needed to support our members, keep them informed, and ensure they continue to receive the high quality, compassionate care they expect from Kaiser Permanente."

Local perspective:

Kaiser stated that its facilities remain "fully operational" through the use of temporary contract professionals and managers.