Kaiser Permanente Workers End 4-Week Strike

Nurses and other health care workers reach deal on wage increases after walkout in California and Hawaii

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers will return to work on Tuesday after a four-week strike in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing. The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals said 'significant movement at the bargaining table' prompted an end to the walkout.

Why it matters

The Kaiser Permanente strike was one of the largest in the health care industry in recent years, highlighting ongoing tensions between workers and management over pay and staffing levels. The resolution of this strike could set the tone for future labor negotiations in the sector.

The details

Under the agreement, Kaiser will provide a 21.5% wage increase over four years, which the union said it will accept after previously demanding a 25% raise. The company maintained that its union employees already earn 16% more on average than their peers. Clinics and hospitals remained open during the strike, with some appointments shifted to virtual and some elective procedures rescheduled.

  • The strike began on January 27, 2026.
  • The workers will return to their jobs on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.

The players

United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals

The union representing the 31,000 Kaiser Permanente workers who went on strike.

Kaiser Permanente

A large not-for-profit health system serving 12.6 million members across the western United States.

Kathleen Campini Chambers

A spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente.

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What they’re saying

“Returning members to their patients and their livelihoods is the clearest path to securing a final agreement and building on the progress achieved during the strike.”

— United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (kpua.net)

“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.”

— Kathleen Campini Chambers, Spokesperson, Kaiser Permanente (kpua.net)

What’s next

The two sides will finalize the contract agreement in the coming days, with workers expected to return to their jobs on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.

The takeaway

This strike resolution demonstrates the ongoing challenges facing the health care industry as workers demand better pay and working conditions. The compromise reached between Kaiser and its unions could serve as a model for future labor negotiations in the sector.