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Kaiser Nurses End Open-Ended Strike, Return to Work Tuesday

Union leaders cite significant bargaining progress, positioning talks for final details.

Members of the United Nurses Associations of California and Union of Healthcare Professionals strike outside Kaiser Permanente on Broadway in Oakland on Jan. 28. After four weeks on picket lines, more than 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care professionals will return to work Tuesday.
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Medical workers and their supporters walk a picket line outside of the Kaiser Oakland Medical Center on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Oakland, Calif. Thousands of striking workers, who are represented by United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, are expected to strike indefinitely amid stalled labor negotiations. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
San Diego, CA – January 26: Kaiser Permanente nurse Mesha Wyatt, along with other nurses and healthcare workers picket at the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center as part of an unfair labor practices strike on January 26, 2026 in San Diego, CA. Around 31,000 of the health care workers went on strike at facilities in California and Hawaii. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Overview

  • UNAC/UHCP halted all pickets Monday and directed roughly 31,000 members to report back at 7 a.m. Tuesday as return-to-work agreements are finalized.
  • The walkout began Jan. 26 and was described by the union as the largest open-ended strike of registered nurses and health professionals in U.S. history.
  • Union negotiators say recent talks produced major movement, prompting a pause in the strike while they complete remaining contract terms.
  • Key issues include wages and staffing: the union seeks a 25% raise over four years after initially proposing 38%, while Kaiser has offered 21.5% nationally.
  • Related labor actions continue to loom, with IUOE Local 501 announcing a three-day strike and about 500 UNAC/UHCP optometrists authorizing a potential walkout before their contract expires Feb. 28.