31K Kaiser Permanente nurses, other health care workers strike for better wages

An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other health care workers at Kaiser Permanente have initiated a strike across California, Hawaii, and Oregon. This action, described as the largest in the history of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, is driven by demands for better wages and staffing levels. The striking workers, including pharmacists, midwives, and rehabilitation therapists, contend that their wages have not kept pace with inflation and that insufficient staffing hinders their ability to meet patient demand. They are seeking a 25% wage increase over four years, asserting that their current pay is at least 7% below that of their peers. Kaiser Permanente has proposed a 21.5% wage increase over the same four-year period. The company argues that its employees already earn approximately 16% more than their counterparts in similar roles and that meeting the strikers' full wage demand would necessitate increasing costs for customers. During the strike, Kaiser Permanente states that its health clinics and hospitals will continue to operate. However, some in-person appoin... download the app to read more