30,000 California and Hawaiʻi Kaiser health care workers authorize strike

In a majority vote, a union of 30,000 registered nurses, pharmacists, therapists and other frontline professionals at Kaiser Permanente have authorized a strike, setting the stage for a walkout.

The strike vote, held by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), comes after six months of bargaining.

The workers are hoping to fix staffing, protect patients, and keep experienced caregivers where they are needed

UNAC/UHCP President Charmaine S. Morales, RN, who leads more than 40,000 health care professionals across California and Hawaiʻi in the fight for access and equity. “When we stand together, Kaiser will have no choice but to recognize the need to value our labor and ensure safe staffing and care.”

With collective bargaining contracts expiring on Sept. 30, 2025, union leaders say unresolved issues are safe staffing levels, fair pay and respect at the table. (Note: the HNHP contract for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners does not expire until Aug. 31, 2027).

Kaiser Permanente issued a statement saying: “Kaiser Permanente has a proud history of working collaboratively with labor unions. We employ the largest number of union-represented health care workers in the country and work with over 40 unions. We offer competitive wages, industry-leading benefits, and meaningful career development opportunities. We are proud that 92% of our employees represented by the Alliance choose to stay with Kaiser Permanente, well above the national health care average.”

The union says caregivers deserve raises that reflect not just competitiveness, but the real economic conditions they face including inflation, housing costs and rising expenses.

Kaiser Permanente says it has been negotiating “in good faith,” and called the decision to strike “disappointing.”

Kaiser’s current offer (as of Sept. 12, 2025) provides Alliance-represented employees across-the-board wage increases totaling 20% over the four years of the contract, including a first-year increase. Kaiser maintains that the offer provides wage increases so that employees represented by Alliance unions in Hawaiʻi are paid at or above the market level. 

Thousands more Kaiser employees in Oregon, Washington, and other states have been holding votes to authorize walkouts.