BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) -- The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) said 31,000 Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and health care professionals across California and Hawaii concluded their five-day strike Sunday. Organizers said bargaining would continue in the coming weeks after The Joint Commission released new standards on staffing.

The strike began Oct. 14, 2025, at more than 500 Kaiser hospitals and clinics, including here in Bakersfield. Caregivers were determined to get safe staffing and fair contracts, according to UNAC/UHCP.

The UNAC/UHCP said the Joint Commission's new standards on staffing, released during the strike, will reshape the landscape of contract negotiations moving forward. Officials said this change prioritizes patient safety and strengthens caregivers' position when negotiations resume. it elevates safe staffing from an employer "choice" to a patient safety standard. This shift strengthens caregivers' position when negotiations resume.

The Joint Commission has finally said what nurses have known all along: unsafe staffing is unsafe care," said UNAC/UHCP President Charmaine S. Morales, RN. "Employers like Kaiser can no longer treat staffing like a budget line. It's now a national patient safety mandate -- and UNAC/UHCP will make sure it's enforced.

On Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region announced they have jointly agreed to resume bargaining on Oct. 22-23.

Kaiser said that while the Alliance of Health Care Unions has publicly emphasized staffing and other concerns, wages are the reason for the strike and the primary issue in negotiations.

Kaiser also said they are committed to reaching an agreement that would provide strong wage increases and enhances high-value medical plans and retiree benefits, while balancing their obligation to deliver high-quality care that remains affordable.