Overview
- About 31,000 UNAC/UHCP nurses and clinicians remain on an open-ended strike that began Jan. 26 across California and Hawaii, with talks continuing locally and no national bargaining dates set.
- Roughly 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers with UFCW ended a three-day walkout on Feb. 12, yet some Kaiser sites still report pharmacy closures, long lines and rescheduled appointments.
- Patients describe a mixed picture, from canceled chemotherapy, surgeries and infusions to relatively smooth emergency and clinic visits under contingency staffing.
- The union seeks a 25% raise over four years and enforceable staffing standards, while Kaiser offers 21.5% and says its proposal is sustainable without raising member premiums as unions point to reserves of about $66–$67 billion.
- Healthcare labor actions are widening regionally, with a five-day strike underway at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana, a three-day walkout slated at West Anaheim Medical Center on Feb. 17, and IUOE Local 501 planning a three-day Kaiser strike starting Feb. 23.