Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Kaiser Labor Standoff: Pharmacy and Lab Workers to Return Thursday as Nurses’ Strike Continues

UFCW’s brief walkout ends as a pay and staffing dispute leaves national talks at an impasse.

Overview

  • About 31,000 UNAC/UHCP nurses and clinicians in California and Hawaii remain on an open-ended strike that began Jan. 26.
  • Roughly 3,000 UFCW-represented pharmacy technicians and lab employees will end their three-day action and return at 5 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, according to the unions and Kaiser.
  • Bargaining remains stalled, with the union seeking roughly a $3 billion package and about a 25% raise, while Kaiser proposes about $1 billion and a 21.5% increase over four years.
  • Kaiser says hospitals and medical offices are open but some pharmacies and labs saw temporary closures and delays as it relied on contingency staff and redeployed managers.
  • UNAC/UHCP rejected Kaiser’s claim that strikers faced threats of union fines for returning to work, calling the allegation false.