Thousands of PNW Kaiser Permanente workers picket amid nationwide strike
Oct 14, 2025, 7:22 AM
Kaiser Permanente employees pose for a photo before picketing. (Photo courtesy of Union of Health Care Professionals)
(Photo courtesy of Union of Health Care Professionals)
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers are walking off the job Tuesday morning in one of the biggest national healthcare strikes of 2025.
Approximately 4,000 nurses and hospital professionals in Oregon and Southwest Washington are beginning a five-day strike at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Nationally, roughly 45,000 hospital employees are striking, making it one of the largest healthcare strikes of the year.
The walkout is in response to staffing shortages, low wages, and a lack of input in patient care.
“The members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals are walking off the job after months of Kaiser’s refusal to agree to a contract that addresses the serious concerns raised by the frontline workers,” the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals stated. “The workers have spent months at the bargaining table trying to get real solutions to the staffing crisis, fair wages, and a voice in how care is delivered.”
Pickets are taking place at six medical centers in the Pacific Northwest, including locations in Hillsboro, Portland, Salem, Vancouver, and Longview.
KIRO Newsradio has reached out to Kaiser Permanente for comment.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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