Hey {{first_name|nurse}},
It’s not every day you see over 30,000 healthcare workers walk off the job.
But that’s exactly what’s happening right now across California, Hawaii, and Oregon — in what’s being called the largest strike in the 50-year history of the United Nurses Associations of California.
They’re not just fighting for higher pay.
They’re fighting for survival — both their own and their patients’.
For years, nurses have carried a system that’s stretched beyond its limits.
Now, many of them say they’ve reached a breaking point.
The Core of the Fight
Here’s what’s on the table:
Union demand: 25% raise over four years
Kaiser offer: 21.5%
Union’s claim: Wages have fallen 7% behind peers
Kaiser’s response: Employees already earn 16% more than average
So, who’s right? Both sides have a point.
But the truth is — this strike isn’t just about pay.
It’s about staffing shortages, burnout, and a healthcare system that’s been running on fumes since 2020.
A Nurse’s Reality
One surgical nurse, standing in the rain outside Kaiser South Bay, said it best:
“It’s not easy to walk away from our patients, but if we don’t advocate for them, who will?”
Many nurses say they regularly manage five or more patients at a time, often skipping lunches just to keep up.
Physical therapists report seeing up to 20 new patients per week — many working through exhaustion.
Kaiser insists their staffing ratios meet state standards.
But nurses say the standards themselves are outdated for today’s patient loads.
The Bigger Picture
Healthcare costs have doubled since 2008.
Insurance premiums, hospital payrolls, and patient volumes have all gone up —
but wages haven’t kept up with inflation.
And this strike isn’t happening in isolation.
Hospitals like UCSF Health, UC San Diego, and Sharp have already announced layoffs this year.
If Kaiser, one of the strongest nonprofit systems in the country, is feeling the pressure —
what does that mean for everyone else?
Why You Should Care
Whether you work for Kaiser or not, this affects all of us.
A system that can’t retain its workers can’t care for its patients.
And as one of the largest employers of nurses in the nation, Kaiser sets the tone for the industry.
Whatever comes out of this five-day strike —
it’ll ripple across hospitals, unions, and nursing contracts nationwide.
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Share it with a coworker who deserves a small win this week.
Stay informed, stay empowered —
Because the fight for fair pay isn’t just Kaiser’s fight. It’s every nurse’s fight.
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