Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LABOR NEWS—Healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii ratify new union contracts, (Mar 24, 2026)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

Approximately 31,000 UNAC/UHCP members went on strike at more than two dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics in late January.

The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) has announced that its members voted overwhelmingly to ratify new Kaiser Permanente contracts that include staffing protections, patient care standards, and historic wage increases, among other things.

Successful strike. This achievement follows a large-scale, month-long ULP strike of 31,000 frontline registered nurses and health care professionals who walked out on January 26, 2026, at more than two dozen Kaiser Permanente hospitals and hundreds of clinics across California and Hawaii. The health care workers had been bargaining with Kaiser since May 2025. In December, however, negotiations stalled and the union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Kaiser at the NLRB, alleging the employer unlawfully walked away from the table and also attempted to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining process.

“This agreement reflects everything our members stood up and stood together for: safe staffing, improved access, and respect for the professionals who provide critical care every day,” said Charmaine Morales, RN, UNAC/UHCP President. “This fight was always about our patients and the public good, and we’ve made meaningful progress to ensure caregivers have the time and resources necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care.”

Just ahead of the walkout, the union announced a report claiming that the employer had amassed billions of dollars in reserves and prioritized aggressive expansion, even while there was chronic understaffing and delayed care access that allegedly placed patients at risk.

Historic wage increases. Both before and after the members returned to their jobs, the union and employer continued to work towards resolution. The agreement ratified by the members includes provisions for stronger patient safety and staffing protections; improved patient access and continuity of care; more time for caregivers to spend with patients; clearer communication standards; and the largest wage increases in the union’s history. Also, for the first time in two decades, the UNAC/UHCP Kaiser contracts share the same expiration date. There are also protections related to artificial intelligence (AI), scheduling, and seniority.

Specific examples. For instance, Southern California registered nurses won an end to “paper staffing” so that charge nurses and break relief nurses are not counted toward nurse-to-patient ratios. The RNs also won contract language that will make sure patients have adequate care around the clock. There will be a clear process for addressing contract violations and bringing in help from other units when staffing falls short.

Another example is that Hawaii pharmacists secured protected time for required training, helping to ensure medications are prepared and reviewed carefully so patients receive safe, high quality care.

“This is an important step forward, but the work doesn’t stop here,” said Peter Sidhu, RN, UNAC/UHCP Executive Vice President. “We’ll be vigilant—documenting ratio violations, escalating unsafe staffing gaps, and using every tool our new contracts provide to protect our patients.”

News: LaborNews UnionsMembers IndustryNewsTrends AINews BenefitsNews