Kaiser Permanente workers are on strike primarily due to a dispute over wages, safe staffing levels, benefits, and working conditions. The unions representing tens of thousands of frontline healthcare professionals say the strike is a last resort after months of negotiations failed to produce a fair contract. They demand fair wages (seeking a 25% increase over four years vs Kaiser's offer of 21.5%), better staffing to ensure patient safety, more say in scheduling, and protections against burnout and job insecurity. The union also accuses Kaiser of ignoring critical issues such as safe staffing, scheduling collaboration, and punishing union organizers. Kaiser Permanente argues that its wage offer is generous and that employees already earn above- market wages. They plan to keep facilities open during the strike with temporary workers and rescheduling some appointments. The strike is described as the largest in the union's history and affects multiple states including California and Hawaii.