Home / Health / Thousands of Nurses Strike: Staffing and Pay Demands
Thousands of Nurses Strike: Staffing and Pay Demands
1 Feb
Summary
- 31,000 healthcare workers are on strike across California and Hawaii.
- The strike is over demands for better wages and improved staffing levels.
- Negotiations have stalled, with accusations of unfair labor practices.
An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and frontline healthcare workers initiated an open-ended strike this week across California and Hawaii, impacting Kaiser Permanente facilities. This marks the second significant walkout by employees represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals in recent months.
The union asserts that Kaiser Permanente has engaged in unfair labor practices and is refusing to resume national bargaining discussions. Workers are demanding a 25% wage increase over four years to address wages they claim are 7% behind their peers, alongside improved staffing ratios to manage patient demand effectively.
Kaiser Permanente stated that while the union had agreed to return to local bargaining, national discussions were paused due to a threatening incident involving a union official. The company countered with a proposed 21.5% wage increase over four years, arguing that the union's demands would necessitate higher customer charges.
Health clinics and hospitals are expected to remain operational during the strike, with some appointments shifting to virtual formats and elective surgeries being rescheduled. Kaiser Permanente serves 12.6 million members across numerous medical offices and hospitals, primarily in western U.S. states.
