Catherwood LibraryILR School

A month‑long strike involving more than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente workers is set to conclude after the union announced a return to work while negotiations continue. Workers walked out in late January over what they described as inadequate staffing and insufficient contract proposals, while Kaiser argued its 21.5% wage‑increase offer was more than competitive. The union says the strike forced Kaiser back into serious bargaining, though key issues — particularly staffing levels — remain unresolved. Kaiser, meanwhile, emphasized that the union accepted its wage proposal and revealed that recent strikes have cost the organization more than $1 billion, prompting state regulators to monitor patient‑care access during the disruption.