Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers across California and Hawaii walked off the job last week in a strike over safe staffing levels, fair compensation and timely care for patients.
The striking workers are members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP).
"We're fighting for our patients, we're fighting for safe staffing, we are fighting because this workload that falls on our health care providers' shoulders is so heavy," said ICU nurse Nicole Jimenez, a member of the union's bargaining team.
Union leaders argue wages haven't kept up with inflation and chronic understaffing is delaying care and putting patients at risk.
"A lot of our patients are experiencing a delay getting to see their primary doctor. So, these patients end up in the emergency department and in our urgent care," said urgent care nurse Jennifer Cabrera.
The union is seeking a 25% wage increase over four years, saying nurses in Southern California earn at least 7% less than their peers in other regional hospitals.
"We need to be compensated. Inflation is going up, it's really expensive to live in California," Cabrera said.
Kaiser Permanente strongly disputes the union's claims.
In a statement, the health care provider says represented employees "already earn, on average, about 16 percent more than similar roles at other health care organizations, and in some markets up to 25 percent more."
But along the picket line, nurses say they have yet to see progress at the bargaining table as the strike continues.
Kaiser is set to meet with the union's bargaining team Tuesday.