DAY 11: Kaiser Strike Escalates As More Frontline Workers Prepare To Walk Out Over Bad-Faith Bargaining And Labor Law Violations

For Immediate Release:
press@unacuhcp.org

KAISER STRIKE ESCALATES AS MORE FRONTLINE WORKERS PREPARE TO WALK OUT OVER BAD-FAITH BARGAINING AND LABOR LAW VIOLATIONS

Pharmacy and laboratory workers set to join nurses as Kaiser continues stalling, deception, and unfair labor practices

Strike lines continue across California and Hawaii

LOS ANGELES — Registered nurses and health care professionals at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California and Hawaii, represented by United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), continue their unfair labor practice strike as thousands more frontline workers prepare to walk out next week, protesting Kaiser’s ongoing refusal to bargain in good faith and repeated labor law violations.

Caregivers say negotiations have been stalled for more than a month after Kaiser management walked away from the national bargaining table and replaced real bargaining with misleading communications designed to divide and discourage workers.

“Kaiser has ghosted us,” said Geraldine Dornio, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at Kaiser Moanalua and member of UNAC/UHCP’s CRNA bargaining team. “Our Hawaii bargaining teams have reached out to the Kaiser lead negotiators for bargaining dates in multiple emails with absolutely no response. Not even a courtesy reply. They don’t want to do national bargaining, but they’re also completely non-responsive to requests for local bargaining. Our members want to get back to work and care for our patients. How can we do that if Kaiser ignores us?”

“Kaiser is currently dodging negotiations with our team, choosing instead to push a narrow narrative about a national 21.5% wage offer,” said Jeffrey Cathcart, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at Kaiser South San Francisco and member of UNAC/UHCP’s Northern California CRNA bargaining team. “They conveniently ignore the critical, devastating cuts to our retirement and health care  benefits — takeaways for our nurse anesthetists that far outweigh Kaiser’s stated proposed wage increases. We are fighting for a first contract that protects our future, not one that guts it.”

Beginning Monday, February 9, pharmacy and laboratory workers represented by UFCW locals are set to join the strike in their own unfair labor practice walkouts, further expanding what has become the largest health care strike in the nation.

Frontline workers say Kaiser’s refusal to address staffing, scheduling, and retention is pushing experienced caregivers out of the system and leaving patients waiting longer for care, even as the company sits on tens of billions of dollars in reserves.

“Despite what they may say publicly, Kaiser has not reached out to us to bargain. We haven’t been to the table this week; we haven’t been to the table since December last year,” said Stacy Eldridge, MS, a registered Dietitian at Kaiser in Bakersfield, CA and a member of the UNAC/UHCP bargaining team.  “I would much rather be inside helping our patients, and I’m worried about how long they are waiting for care now. If Kaiser has any concern for our patients and community and wants to get this done, they can. It’s a choice. We are ready and have been waiting “

WHAT: 31,000 nurses and health care workers on strike at Kaiser Permanente

WHEN: Friday, February 6, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT; strike will continue until an agreement is reached

WHO: UNAC/UHCP members, including registered nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, midwives, physician assistants, rehab therapists, dietitians, and other frontline health care professionals

**INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: nurses and health care workers can give live or taped interviews on the strike lines, including in Spanish.**

For additional press information, please visit: unacuhcp.org/presscenter

All picket locations are listed at unacuhcp.org/ready.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR PATIENT SAFETY

• Kaiser walked away from national bargaining, and negotiations have been stalled for more than a month.
• Unsafe staffing continues to delay care and overload frontline workers.
• Misleading communications are replacing real negotiations. Workers are leaving the system, worsening staffing shortages.
• Billions in reserves remain untouched while patient care deteriorates.

Caregivers are calling on Kaiser Permanente to return to the bargaining table in good faith, end deceptive tactics, and invest in safe staffing and fair treatment for the professionals.

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United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) represents more than 40,000 registered nurses and healthcare professionals in California and Hawaii, including optometrists; pharmacists; physical, occupational and speech therapists; case managers; nurse midwives; social workers; clinical lab scientists; physician assistants and nurse practitioners; hospital support and technical staff. UNAC/UHCP is affiliated with the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees (NUHHCE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO.