Hundreds of Kaiser Health Care Workers Strike in Santa Rosa

Workers protest inadequate mental health services and Kaiser's use of AI to replace clinicians

Mar. 19, 2026 at 12:04am

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More than 200 health care workers, including therapists, social workers, and psychologists, rallied in Santa Rosa, California on Wednesday as part of a wider one-day strike across Kaiser's Northern California and Central Valley region. The workers, represented by the National Union of Health Care Workers (NUHW), are protesting what they say are inadequate and impersonal mental health services offered by Kaiser Permanente, as well as the health care provider's efforts to automate care and replace licensed clinicians with artificial intelligence.

Why it matters

The strike highlights ongoing tensions between Kaiser and its mental health workers over the quality and accessibility of mental health services. The union argues that Kaiser's use of unlicensed telephone representatives for initial mental health triage and increased reliance on 'e-visits' is reducing the clinical accuracy of assessments and delaying proper care. The strike also reflects broader concerns about the role of AI and automation in health care and whether it will replace or support human clinicians.

The details

The one-day strike included picketing at Kaiser facilities in Santa Rosa, Oakland, Sacramento, Santa Clara, and Fresno. In Santa Rosa, the NUHW workers were joined by about 100 Kaiser nurses from Santa Rosa and San Rafael in a 'sympathy strike' organized by the California Nurses Association. Workers represented by Stationary Engineers Local 39 also struck alongside the mental health staff and nurses. The NUHW workers are currently in contract negotiations with Kaiser, and their previous contract expired in September 2025. The union says Kaiser is looking to outsource jobs and replace therapist positions with AI.

  • The strike took place on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

The players

National Union of Health Care Workers (NUHW)

A union that represents more than 100 mental health workers in the Santa Rosa area, including therapists, social workers and psychologists, as well as 2,400 across Northern California and the Central Valley.

Kaiser Permanente

A large health care provider that operates medical facilities across Northern California and the Central Valley.

California Nurses Association (CNA)

A union that represents nurses, including those who participated in a 'sympathy strike' alongside the NUHW workers in Santa Rosa.

Stationary Engineers Local 39

A union representing workers who also struck alongside the mental health staff and nurses in Santa Rosa.

Willow Thorsen

A licensed clinical social worker and behavioral medicine specialist who participated in the strike.

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What they’re saying

“Instead, they have unlicensed telephone representatives doing some of the baseline mental health triage. That is a decrease in clinical accuracy of initial assessments to people getting into the right care the first time.”

— Willow Thorsen, Licensed clinical social worker and behavioral medicine specialist

“I'm getting calls from people who are desperate for care because they've been bounced around to four or five different call centers and they end up with me and I might not even be the right person that they're meant to talk to.”

— Ray Messinger, Licensed addiction medicine and recovery services therapist

“In talking to co-workers, they've had families that had to wait eight months for an appointment, that they can't get in unless they're in crisis sooner. Working here as long as I have, I've seen the deterioration of access, especially to mental health.”

— Colleen Gibbons, Medical-surgical nurse at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This strike highlights the ongoing tensions between Kaiser and its mental health workers over the quality and accessibility of mental health services, as well as broader concerns about the role of AI and automation in health care and whether it will replace or support human clinicians. The strike also raises questions about Kaiser's commitment to providing timely and appropriate mental health care to its patients.