Kaiser Permanente and the coalition representing more than 75,000 California healthcare workers are back at the bargaining table, restarting negotiations after a five-day walkout that drew national attention to staffing and wage concerns in the state’s healthcare system.

The union coalition, comprising nurses, medical technicians, support staff, and other frontline workers, has emphasized the need for competitive wages, increased staffing levels, and enhanced retention efforts. Union leaders say current shortages have strained hospital operations, affecting both workers and patient care.

“We stood strong for five days and made sure the world heard us,” United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) President Charmaine Morales said in a post-strike statement. “This strike wasn’t just about numbers on a contract—it was about the right to provide safe care to every patient who walks through those doors.”

UNAC/UHCP is the largest of the unions in the Alliance of Health Care Unions which represents members at Kaiser.

Kaiser officials have acknowledged workforce challenges and say the organization is committed to reaching an agreement that supports employees while ensuring high-quality care for patients across its facilities. The return to negotiations follows what labor leaders described as the largest healthcare worker strike in U.S. history.

While discussions have resumed, no final agreement has been reached. Both sides have signaled a shared interest in securing a contract that bolsters staffing, stabilizes the workforce, and maintains continuity of care. Operations at Kaiser hospitals and clinics remain ongoing as talks continue.

Unions in the Alliance of Health Care Unions member locals are:

  • SEIU‑United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU‑UHW) — represents tens of thousands of frontline health‑care workers at Kaiser sites in California.
  • International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 20 (IFPTE Local 20) — representing technical and scientific professionals (lab scientists, therapists, etc) in Northern California.
  • Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 30 (OPEIU Local 30) — administrative, scheduling, patient services support workers in the coalition.
  • Service Employees International Union Local 121RN (SEIU Local 121RN) — a registered‑nurse local in the Inland Empire area of Southern California affiliated with the coalition.
  • United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 (UFCW Local 135) — one of several UFCW locals included in broader coalitions with Kaiser workers.