LOS ANGELES — Approximately 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line health care professionals represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) will return to work Tuesday, concluding a four-week strike across California and Hawaii.
Union leaders announced Monday that “significant movement at the bargaining table” prompted the decision to end the walkout, signaling progress toward a final labor agreement.
While specific details were not disclosed, the union emphasized that returning members to their patients and workplaces represents the most effective path to securing a comprehensive contract and building on gains made during negotiations.
The strike, which began Jan. 27, marked the second major labor action in recent months involving UNAC/UHCP-represented employees at Kaiser Permanente. A previous five-day strike in October ended with talks resuming, though negotiations later stalled in December.
Union members — including pharmacists, midwives and rehabilitation therapists — cited concerns over wages and staffing levels. They sought a 25% wage increase over four years, arguing that pay has not kept pace with inflation and trails comparable positions by at least 7%.
Kaiser Permanente had proposed a 21.5% wage increase over four years, maintaining that its union-represented employees earn an average of 16% more than peers in similar roles.
The organization also indicated that meeting the union’s full wage proposal would likely require higher costs for consumers. According to company spokesperson Kathleen Campini Chambers, union leadership informed Kaiser on Monday that members would accept the 21.5% offer initially presented in October.
“We are working with our teams to schedule returning employees over the coming days, in an orderly way that protects patient safety and minimizes any disruption,” Chambers said in a statement.
Throughout the strike, Kaiser Permanente facilities remained open. Some in-person appointments were converted to virtual visits, and certain elective surgeries and procedures were rescheduled to maintain continuity of care.
Headquartered in Oakland, California, Kaiser Permanente operates one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health systems, serving 12.6 million members through 600 medical offices and 40 hospitals, primarily across western states.
The resolution comes amid broader labor activity in the health care sector. In New York City, nurses within the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital system voted Saturday to approve a new contract and end a strike that lasted more than a month. Earlier this month, nurses at Montefiore Medical Center and Mount Sinai Health System also ratified agreements to conclude their respective walkouts.
