Thousands of Kaiser Permanente stage strike as contract negotiations continue

An estimated 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care employees are staging a strike this morning at locations in California and Hawaii to press their demands for a new contract with management.

The United Nurses Association of California/ Union of Health Care Professionals said union members will walk picket lines at the Oakland Medical Center, the Roseville Medical Center and the Santa Clara Medical Center.

The union said the strike will continue until an agreement on a new contract is reached.Talks between Kaiser Permanente management and the union continued over the weekend.

The union said the impasse with the health care provider is over wages, workplace safety, and short staffing. Kaiser officials countered that the dispute is primarily over wages.

Kaiser said yesterday that it had contingency plans to keep its facilities open, including hospitals and emergency rooms.