The Valley Chronicle - Kaiser Pharmacy and Lab Workers to Conclude Strategic Three-Day Unfair Labor Practices Strike in Southern California and Bakersfield

LOS ANGELES — More than 3,000 United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)-represented pharmacy and laboratory workers across Southern California and Bakersfield will return to work at 5:00 a.m. Thursday, February 12, 2026, concluding a targeted three-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike against Kaiser Permanente.

Actions took place earlier this week at locations throughout Southern California and Bakersfield to protest the company’s unlawful actions that have prevented frontline healthcare workers from getting the fair contract they deserve. Thousands of UFCW pharmacy and lab employees picketed alongside nurses and health care professionals represented by United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) and held large solidarity rallies in Los Angeles, Panorama City, and Downey, each with hundreds of attendees.

The ULP strike, which began on February 9, 2026, was launched in response to Kaiser’s unlawful conduct and refusal to bargain in good faith as part of the national bargaining process within the Alliance of Health Care Unions.

More than 3,000 UFCW members from Southern California and Bakersfield joined 31,000 UNAC/UHCP nurses and health care professionals who remain on an open-ended strike that began January 26, 2026.

In a statement to members, the unions said, “our strength and solidarity this week proved we are prepared to escalate again if Kaiser refuses to respect workers. Our demands remain unchanged: Kaiser must return to the national bargaining table, end their surveillance, intimidation, and retaliation against workers, and stop blocking access to Union Representatives.”

BACKGROUND

UFCW Southern California Locals represent over 4,000 Kaiser Permanente frontline healthcare employees who work as pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, clinical lab scientists, medical lab technicians, and clinical and administrative healthcare workers at numerous Kaiser locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Kern counties.

With national negotiations stalled since December, this ULP strike disrupted hospital operations and pharmacy services at the height of flu season. The contract covering UFCW pharmacy employees across Southern California expired November 1, 2025; the contract covering UFCW CLS/MLT employees across Southern California expired February 1, 2026.

These Kaiser frontline healthcare workers protested the company’s labor violations throughout negotiations that have prevented them from getting the fair contract they deserve.

Key timeline:

Kaiser broke off national bargaining in December 2025.

UFCW and Alliance of Healthcare Unions filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against Kaiser Permanente for suspending national collective bargaining negotiations earlier this month.

UNAC/UNCP began an open-ended ULP strike Monday, January 26, 2026, their second strike since negotiations started.

Southern California UFCW Kaiser employees began a ULP strike on February 9 that concludes on February 12.