OAKLAND — Thousands of healthcare professionals employed by Kaiser Permanente in California walked off the job Tuesday morning — including at medical centers in Santa Clara and Oakland — to push for higher pay and better staffing, union officials said.
The strike began at 7 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to continue through 7 a.m. Sunday and marks the largest action in the union’s 50-year history, with 31,000 employees walking off the job in three states, according to a press release from United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, the union representing the striking workers. Negotiations for a new contract ended Oct. 10.
Kaiser’s pharmacies and medical offices will remain open during the strike, according to a statement from Kaiser Permanente Northern California. About 2,800 employees are involved in the strike in Northern California, Kaiser said.
Some appointments, including elective surgeries, may be rescheduled, while others will be shifted to virtual care, said Lionel Sims, senior vice president of human resources for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser will bring on up to 7,600 healthcare staff to work during the strike, plus employ the assistance of about 1,000 others from non-strike locations who volunteered to work at the strike locations, he added.
The union initially sought a 38% raise and is now seeking a 25% raise. Kaiser’s most recent offer would include a pay increase of 21.5% over four years and additions to medical plans and retiree benefits, Sims said.
Union members are also seeking to address “unsafe” staffing practices and “deteriorating patient care,” according to a press release from the union.
“This story isn’t just about numbers — it’s about patients, burnout, and a health care system at a breaking point,” the union said. “Kaiser made nearly $13 billion in profit in 2024 and holds $66 billion in reserves, yet refuses to meet reasonable proposals that would stabilize the workforce and improve care.”
Heather Sharpe, left, a certified registered nurse anesthetist and physical therapist Kathleen West, right, take part in a strike outside of the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Oakland, Calif. Tens of thousands of frontline Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and health care professionals across California and Hawaii with the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals are taking part in the strike. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Sims called the strike “unnecessary and disruptive,” adding that the current contract offer would increase the healthcare provider’s payroll costs by $2 billion by 2029 and that employees currently make about 16% more than healthcare peers.
“Anything beyond 21.5% will require us to further increase rates for our members and customers, at a time when health care costs are increasingly unaffordable and many are having to make the difficult choice to go without coverage,” Sims said. “We have a responsibility to do the right thing for our employees and our members and customers.”
The union contends that Kaiser’s offer does not address “years of wage freezes during record inflation, cuts for new union members, and the real daily impact these conditions have on patient care.”
Striking workers include pharmacists, nurses, midwives, physician assistants, dietitians and more. Heathcare workers in Hawaii and Oregon are also walking off the job, the union said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Originally Published: October 14, 2025 at 9:01 AM PDT