Thousands More Kaiser Permanente Workers Join Strike in California

Pharmacy and lab employees represented by UFCW join nurses and other healthcare professionals in ongoing labor action

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Thousands of additional Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers, including pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, clinical lab scientists and medical lab technicians, joined an expanding labor strike on Monday in Southern California. The move caused some local pharmacies and outpatient laboratories operated by the largest not-for-profit integrated healthcare system in the United States to close temporarily or operate with reduced hours. The expanded strike comes as more than 30,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals in California and Hawaii entered the third week of separate but related strikes that began on Jan. 26.

Why it matters

The strikes by Kaiser Permanente workers highlight ongoing tensions between the healthcare provider and its unions over issues like staffing, wages and working conditions. The labor actions have the potential to disrupt patient care and access to services, raising concerns about the impact on the community. The dispute also reflects broader challenges facing the healthcare industry, including rising costs and the need to balance affordability with fair compensation for workers.

The details

The latest strike action involves more than 3,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), who work in pharmacies and laboratories operated by Kaiser Permanente. This comes as more than 30,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professions (UNAC/UHCP) entered the third week of their own strike. Union leaders said the decision by pharmacy and lab workers to join the picket lines followed Kaiser Permanente management's withdrawal from negotiations last month. The company disputed the unions' claims, arguing that it is negotiating in good faith and that the strikes are unnecessary and disruptive.

  • The strikes by nurses and other healthcare professionals began on January 26, 2026.
  • The expanded strike by pharmacy and lab employees started on February 9, 2026.

The players

Kaiser Permanente

The largest not-for-profit integrated healthcare system in the United States.

United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professions (UNAC/UHCP)

The union representing more than 30,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals who are on strike.

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW)

The union representing more than 3,000 pharmacy and lab employees who joined the strike.

Geraldine Doronio

A certified registered nurse anesthetist at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center in Hawaii and a member of UNAC/UHCP's bargaining team.

Susan M.

A Kaiser Permanente care patient.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Our bargaining teams have reached out for dates multiple times with absolutely no response -- not even a courtesy reply. They say they don't want national bargaining, but they are also ignoring requests for local bargaining.”

— Geraldine Doronio, Certified registered nurse anesthetist at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center in Hawaii and member of UNAC/UHCP's bargaining team

“They've all gotta come back to the table and negotiate in good faith. Lives literally depend on it.”

— Susan M., Kaiser Permanente care patient

What’s next

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is investigating the unions' charges that Kaiser Permanente unlawfully refused to bargain and attempted to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining framework.

The takeaway

The ongoing strikes by Kaiser Permanente workers highlight the complex challenges facing the healthcare industry, including the need to balance affordability, patient access, and fair compensation for employees. The dispute underscores the importance of good-faith negotiations to resolve labor tensions and ensure continuity of care for patients.