Quick Read
- Over 2,000 Kaiser Permanente Hawaii workers began a five-day strike on October 14.
- Workers demand higher wages, better staffing; Kaiser says it offered a 21.5% pay increase over four years.
- Some clinics, pharmacies, and labs are closed, but emergency and urgent care remain open.
- 84% of surveyed workers considered leaving Hawaii due to high living costs.
Thousands of Kaiser Healthcare Workers Walk Off the Job
In the early morning hours of October 14, a wave of resolve swept across Hawaii’s healthcare sector. More than 2,000 employees of Kaiser Permanente – from cashiers and clerks to nurses and lab technicians – put down their tools, picked up picket signs, and began a coordinated five-day strike. Their message was clear: after months of fruitless contract negotiations, they want pay that reflects Hawaii’s soaring cost of living, better staffing, and a future where they don’t feel forced to leave their home for better opportunities elsewhere.
Why Are Workers Striking Now?
The Local 5 union, representing these Kaiser workers, says frustration has been mounting since April. Negotiations with the healthcare giant have stalled repeatedly. The union argues that while Kaiser’s mainland employees earn over 30% more than their Hawaii-based colleagues, local staff face much higher living costs. “We deserve better wages. We deserve better staffing. We deserve to be thriving instead of surviving,” said Ha’a Miller, a Kaiser cashier’s clerk, summarizing the sentiment among her peers.
The union’s demands go beyond pay. Many workers say chronic understaffing has left them exhausted and concerned for patient care. A Local 5 survey in 2024 showed that 84% of nearly 800 employees had considered leaving Hawaii due to the high cost of living – a statistic that underscores the urgency of their demands. But, as Miller points out, uprooting isn’t a real solution for most: “This is home. This is where the opportunity should be. Our people shouldn’t have to go out to the mainland to find better opportunities.”
Kaiser Permanente’s Response: Offers and Assurances
Kaiser management has presented its own side. Dionicia Lagapa, the organization’s vice president of Ambulatory Care and Clinical Care Services in Hawaii, insists that their latest offer is more than fair. “Our latest offer increases their already above-market wages by an additional 21.5% over the four-year contract,” Lagapa said in a video statement. The proposed deal, she adds, would also enhance medical and retiree benefits. To the company, this package should be enough to resolve the dispute.
Yet for many striking workers, these numbers don’t tell the full story. They point to the $66 billion in reserves Kaiser reportedly holds and question why more of those resources aren’t used to improve local wages and staffing. “It’s kind of like a slap in the face to hear that,” Miller remarked, reflecting a widespread belief among employees that the company has the means to meet their demands but chooses not to.
Impact on Patients and Healthcare Services
Strikes in healthcare are never simple. Kaiser has said it is prepared for the walkout, with contingency plans to keep critical services running. Emergency rooms and urgent care clinics remain open across the islands, and most clinics will continue to serve patients. However, the company acknowledges that some disruptions are inevitable. The Hawaii Kai, Kihei, Kahuku, and Waimea clinics will be closed during the strike, as will all outpatient pharmacies and some laboratory services. Elective surgeries and non-urgent appointments may need to be rescheduled.
Lagapa urged patients not to cancel appointments, promising that care would still be available. But as picket lines form outside facilities and staff shortages bite, the real impact on patient care – and on the morale of those still on the job – will become clearer in the days ahead.
Deeper Roots: Cost of Living and the Healthcare Labor Crisis
At its core, this strike is about more than just numbers on a paycheck. It’s about the broader economic reality in Hawaii, where housing costs and everyday expenses far outpace many mainland communities. For healthcare workers, who have weathered the immense pressures of the pandemic and ongoing staff shortages, the current moment feels like a tipping point.
Local 5 members like Emily Guerrero, Claire Rabe, and Rosita Abella have been preparing for this action for weeks, making signs and rallying colleagues. Their stories echo a pattern seen nationwide: healthcare professionals are demanding recognition, respect, and a workplace that enables them to care for patients without sacrificing their own well-being.
For Kaiser, the strike is a test of its ability to balance financial stewardship with the needs of its workforce. For Hawaii, it’s a stark reminder of the challenges facing essential workers in paradise – and the costs, both human and economic, when those challenges go unresolved.
As the strike enters its first day, both sides remain far apart. For workers, the picket lines are about more than a contract; they’re a stand for dignity and a sustainable future in their own home. For management, the challenge is to maintain services and public trust while navigating a labor dispute with no easy answers.
The Kaiser strike in Hawaii is a microcosm of a larger national reckoning: how will America value its healthcare workers, and can institutions adapt quickly enough to keep talent where it’s needed most? As negotiations continue, the outcome will be watched far beyond the islands – by workers, employers, and patients alike.