Fontana Kaiser Workers Strike Over Patient Care, Staffing in Historic Nationwide Healthcare Walkout

Hundreds of Health care workers gathered outside the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center on Wednesday, Oct. 15, marking day two of a multi-day strike over patient care, staffing levels, and contract negotiations. The strike, which began Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday, Oct. 19, is part of a broader action involving more than 8,600 workers across the Inland Empire and tens of thousands nationally.

Participants at the Fontana site included members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) and United Steelworkers Local 7600. Among them was Maria Arevalo Ramirez, a union representative from Fontana, who said the protest was motivated by more than just wages. “We’re not just striking for ourselves,” she said. “We’re striking for our patients, future nurses, and the future of healthcare.”

Arevalo Ramirez also noted that workers are not being compensated while on strike. “We are taking a leap of faith, not just for ourselves, but for our patients,” she said. “We’re investing that money into patient care and progress for nursing.”

Healthcare worker Marcial Reyes described the impact of staffing on patient wait times and the strain on emergency departments. “We don’t want to make our patient wait. Give us more staff to take care of our patient,” he said. Reyes added that delays in accessing primary care were contributing to overcrowding in emergency rooms. “We sometimes see patients waiting eight hours. They use the ER because they cannot get appointments.”

Fontana employees continued demonstrating despite rainy weather earlier in the week. Reyes said the rain didn’t deter turnout. “Getting wet is something that we are used to anyway in the nursing field. Rain is nothing,” he said.

Registered nurse Celina Zumaya, a UNAC member, expressed concern about short staffing. “This is a very tough job and we’re dealing with life and death,” she said. “We are always short-staffed. The last few days I worked, we were down six bodies in a 24-hour period.”

United Steelworkers Local 7600, which represents a large portion of striking workers in the region, stated that the walkout followed months of negotiations with Kaiser Permanente. In a public statement, Local 7600 President Micheal Barnett said, “This strike is about safe staffing, respect on the job, and ensuring every patient gets the care they deserve.” He emphasized that workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize the strike after contracts expired at the end of September.

In response, Kaiser Permanente issued a statement on Oct. 15 outlining what it described as a strong and comprehensive offer. The organization said its proposal includes a 21.5% wage increase over four years, annual step increases, and enhanced medical and retirement benefits. According to the statement, a registered nurse represented by UNAC in Southern California currently earning $77.34 per hour could earn up to $101.69 per hour by the end of the contract.

Kaiser officials noted that the union’s demand for a 25% increase over four years would result in approximately $300 million in additional salary costs annually, which they said could impact affordability for patients. The company said it is working to maintain operations during the strike, including onboarding up to 7,600 temporary clinical staff and reassigning over 1,000 current employees to support care delivery.

“We respect the Alliance and value their members—our employees—for the vital role they play caring for our 12.5 million members,” the statement read. “But this strike is unnecessary when such a generous offer is on the table. It is designed to disrupt the lives of our patients—the very people we are all here to serve.”

Kaiser confirmed that its hospitals and medical offices remain open, though some appointments and elective procedures may be rescheduled or shifted to virtual care.

Despite the ongoing dispute, the demonstration at the Fontana location drew considerable support from passing motorists and community members. Reyes said the response has been largely positive. “The great majority of people are honking and cheering us on,” he said.

Several public officials have weighed in on social media. On Oct. 14, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed support for the workers, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “If Kaiser can pay its CEO $12.7 million and make $4 billion in profit, it can afford to treat all of its workers with respect, not contempt.”

At the Fontana site, Arevalo Ramirez said the goal of the strike is not only to address wages and working conditions but also to ensure that the voices of frontline workers are acknowledged. “It’s about being heard—and making healthcare better for everyone,” she said.