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Redding Today
By the People, for the People
Healthcare Workers Strike Across California and Beyond
Nurses, technicians, and other healthcare professionals have walked off the job in multiple states since the start of 2026.
Published on Feb. 21, 2026
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Union activity in the healthcare industry has continued in 2026, with nearly a dozen reported strikes since the beginning of the year. These strikes have involved workers across hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities in California, Nevada, Washington, and New York. The strikes have impacted thousands of nurses, technicians, and other healthcare professionals, with some walkouts lasting multiple days.
Why it matters
The ongoing labor unrest in the healthcare sector highlights the challenges facing medical providers and workers, including staffing shortages, pay and benefit disputes, and broader questions about the sustainability of the current healthcare system. These strikes have the potential to disrupt patient care and put pressure on hospital administrators to address worker concerns.
The details
The strikes have involved a range of healthcare workers, including nurses, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, housekeepers, and laboratory and pharmacy staff. The strikes have taken place at facilities operated by companies like Kaiser Permanente, Prime Healthcare, Kindred Hospitals, and MultiCare. The walkouts have ranged from one-day strikes to open-ended actions that are still ongoing as of mid-February 2026.
- Since the beginning of 2026, nearly a dozen healthcare worker strikes have been reported.
- On February 18, 2026, over 1,200 workers at MarinHealth Medical Center in California went on a one-day strike.
- On February 16, 2026, registered nurses and licensed medical professionals at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in California began a five-day strike.
- From February 16-18, 2026, over 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers went on a three-day strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities across Southern California and Kern County.
- On February 17-19, 2026, about 2,100 nurses and healthcare workers from four Prime Healthcare hospitals in California and Nevada went on one-day and three-day strikes.
The players
California Nurses Association
A labor union representing over 100,000 registered nurses in California.
Teamsters Local 856
A local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union representing workers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Service Employees International Union Local 121RN
A California-based union representing over 11,000 registered nurses and other healthcare professionals.
United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals
A union representing 31,000 registered nurses and healthcare professionals across Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and Hawaii.
National Union of Healthcare Workers
A union representing healthcare workers, including nurses, nursing assistants, housekeepers, and respiratory therapists, at Kindred Hospitals in California.
What they’re saying
“We must stand up for our patients and our profession. This strike is about ensuring safe staffing levels and fair compensation for the critical work we do.”
— Registered Nurse
“Healthcare workers are the backbone of our communities, and they deserve to be treated with the respect and dignity they have earned. We will continue to support their right to organize and advocate for better working conditions.”
— Local Union President
What’s next
As the strikes continue, hospital administrators and union leaders will likely engage in further negotiations to try to reach new labor agreements that address the concerns of healthcare workers. The outcomes of these negotiations could have significant implications for the future of healthcare staffing and patient care in the affected regions.
The takeaway
The wave of healthcare worker strikes in 2026 underscores the ongoing tensions between medical providers, their employees, and the communities they serve. Resolving these labor disputes in a way that supports both workers and patients will be crucial for ensuring the stability and sustainability of the healthcare system.
