Kaiser Permanente Nurses Set to Strike Later This Month

(Portland, OR) -- Approximately 3,400 Nurses and health care professionals at Kaiser Permanente in Oregon and Southwest Washington have announced they'll be going on strike starting November 15th. Roughly 96% of union members approved the strike in a vote last month--their primary issue being a lack of adequate staffing. Officials say 32,000 nurses and other health professionals in five states will join the effort as negotiations between the union and Kaiser continue. It is possible they could come to an agreement before the intend start of the strike.

It’s been over 30 years since Kaiser faced a major strike. Its Oregon and southwest Washington operation runs two hospitals; Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas and the Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center in Hillsboro.