31,000 Kaiser Nurses Begin Strike Across California and Hawaii

Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers walked off the job Monday morning, launching an open-ended strike at facilities across California and Hawaii.

The work stoppage involves 31,000 members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), affecting more than two dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics. Picket lines went up at 7 a.m.

The union filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging Kaiser walked away from negotiations in December and attempted to bypass the established national bargaining process. Workers say Kaiser has also circulated communications pressuring employees not to strike and encouraging them to report union activity to management. Negotiations have been ongoing since May 2025, with core disputes over staffing levels, wages, and retirement benefits.

The union did not list any Coachella Valley Kaiser medical office locations among the affected sites. The nearest picket locations include Riverside Medical Center and facilities in Fontana and Ontario.

Kaiser Permanente released a statement saying it has plans to ensure patients receive safe, high-quality care while the strike continues. It's unclear how long the strike will last.