Thousands of unionized Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and other health professionals are set to begin a five-day strike on Tuesday in California and Hawaii amid ongoing contract negotiations— though Kaiser officials said affected facilities will remain open with some adjustments.
Workers represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals are expected to begin picketing at 7 a.m. at locations including the Kaiser South Bay Medical Center in Harbor City; Kaiser Woodland Hills Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley; and Kaiser Baldwin Park Medical Center in South Los Angeles.
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders is scheduled to greet striking workers at Kaiser Downey Medical Center at 3 p.m. Affected workers include registered nurses, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician assistants, rehab therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians and other specialty health-care professionals.
“We do not take the decision to strike lightly. A strike is always a last resort, reached only after every other option has been exhausted,” the union said in a statement issued Sunday. “Over the past several months, our bargaining teams have met with Kaiser Permanente at both the local and national tables in good faith.
“When Kaiser requested mediation in recent weeks, we agreed in the hope of achieving a breakthrough. We’ve made ourselves available to meet anytime, anywhere throughout the 10-day notice period — and beyond. Despite these efforts, Kaiser has not agreed to a contract that delivers on the core priorities of the frontline health care professionals who make Kaiser work every day. We’re speaking up for better care.”
Kaiser Permanente said it has prepared contingency plans to ensure services during the strike.
The company said hospitals and medical offices will remain open, and will shift appointments to virtual care via phone, video and e-chat. In some cases, some health appointments, elective surgeries and procedures will be rescheduled.
More than 1,000 of Kaiser employees have also volunteered to be reassigned to work in strike locations, the company said. Members can find the updates on care impacts at kp.org. Kaiser expects normal operations to resume after 7 a.m. Sunday.
According to Kaiser, the company has been working with the Alliance of Health Care Unions since May to reach new national and local agreements to support nearly 61,000 employees. The company said that the heart of the negotiation is a dispute about wages.
The company reported that Alliance-represented employees earn, on average, 16 percent more than peers elsewhere. Kaiser’s latest offer would provide an additional 21.5 percent over the four-year contract, as well as improves medical and pension benefits, the company said.
Meanwhile, the union argued that Kaiser has the ability to pay — saying that, in 2021, the company’s reserves stood at $44 billion. In 2024, Kaiser reached $66 billion in reserves, an increase of $22 billion, the union said.
“This is not a money problem. It’s a priority problem,” according to a statement from the Alliance.
The union said its request for an increase of 25 percent was, in part, to address an 18.5 percent inflation increase. “We’re not asking for special treatment — we’re asking for equal treatment. Our proposal of a 25 percent wage increase over four years is designed to restore what was lost, keep pace with the cost of living and recognize the value of our members’ labor,’’ the Alliance said in a statement.