Over 120 Kaiser Permanente medical workers in Santa Rosa are set to go on an indefinite strike next week, joining 31,000 colleagues across California and Hawaii.
The Press Democrat reports this marks the second walkout in three months for the United Nurses Association. Union leaders say the strike is a response to chronic understaffing and stalled contract talks, accusing Kaiser of prioritizing profits over patient care.
Kaiser management maintains they have offered a competitive 21-percent wage increase and says hospitals will remain open during the stoppage. Union representatives, however, insist the picket lines will remain active until a new agreement is reached.