Kaiser Permanente strike officially over, another looms on the horizon

The Kaiser Permanente strike is officially, Kaiser management said Saturday morning. But the union and management still have yet to agree on demands, and union leadership said they will strike again if necessary.

"We are pleased to welcome back our employees who participated in this week’s strike. With the current strike behind us as of 6:00 a.m. Saturday, our collective focus is a return to normal operations," Kaiser told KTVU in a statement.

On Friday, union leaders announced a new bargaining session is expected to begin on October 12, and the workers are demanding higher pay and increased staffing.

"We look forward to reaching a new agreement that continues to provide our employees with market-leading wages and benefits, and ensures our high-quality care is affordable and available to meet our members’ needs," a Kaiser Permanente Union spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

Kaiser says it wants to work with the union to find a solution, but claims it simply can't afford to meet all of their demands. The union says with no agreement in sight, they're already planning for another longer walkout for next month.

"It's sad that we have to be out here to fight for what is right," Erica Olivo, a striking worker, told Fox News, adding that workers will strike again if necessary.

Kaiser unions across California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and a handful of other East Coast states, went on strike Wednesday after the unions and management failed to come to an agreement on a new contract, marking the largest healthcare worker strike in U.S. history.

The 75,000 Kaiser union members were on standby leading up to the strike in hopes that a last-minute deal would be reached, but no deal was made.

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