More than 3,500 Kaiser Permanente health care workers from Oregon and Southwest Washington are casting ballots this week to authorize a strike that could start as soon as Oct. 1 – though leaders of the health care nonprofit called the vote a “bargaining tactic” and emphasized that a strike may not take place.

After six months of negotiations, Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals spokesperson Shane Burley said, members are still pushing for higher wages, more robust staffing and changes to how schedules are set at hospitals and clinics across the region.

It’s a familiar message at a time when protracted contract disputes and strikes have become more common at hospitals and clinics across the country. A Kaiser union representing nursing assistants and other workers held a brief strike two years ago, prompting the health care provider to reschedule some surgeries. Providence nurses walked out for 46 days in a strike that ended in February. And last month, nurses at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center authorized a strike, though they reached a deal before walking out.

With other unions engaged in similar negotiations across Kaiser’s other regional units, it’s possible the health care giant could see large-scale strikes in other areas of the country this fall, as well, Burley said.

“We’ve seen lots of people leave the health care industry post-pandemic,” he said. “Highly paid executives are making decisions where health care workers don’t feel like they’re getting the support that they need, and that’s really critical.”

Kaiser leaders pushed back against that argument, saying in a statement that they’ve offered to increase wages by 20% over the next four years. “Allegations about staffing and care quality do not reflect the facts. Kaiser Permanente meets — and often exceeds — mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and staffing standards,” the statement said.

Both union officials and Kaiser management said people should continue to seek the medical care they need if the union does ultimately strike.

Members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, whose current contract with Kaiser expires at the end of this month, include physician assistants and nurse practitioners who provide primary care, physical therapists and mental health counselors, and lab techs who process blood tests and other samples.

Voting will continue through Friday. Before the union can initiate a strike, it’s required to give 10 days’ notice, and Burley said any strike would not take place until after the current contract expires on Sept. 30.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/15/kaiser-permanente-strike-vote-health-care-workers-oregon-washington/