More than 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers with the United Food and Commercial Workers union in Southern California joined a “second wave” of health care professionals striking Kaiser Permanente on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.
Meanwhile, the strike is showing signs of spilling over beyond just Kaiser.
Grocery union pharmacists with certain supermarket chains have a four-year labor contract expiring March 1, and some of those workers are showing up on the Kaiser picket lines in the past week to sympathize with the 34,000 nurses, health care professionals, and pharmacy and lab workers already striking.
Ahead of the expanding strike — which now totals about 34,000 workers, including registered nurses and healthcare professionals — Kaiser sent out text messages to its members in California and Hawaii saying the strike will affect lab services and cause delays in patient care.
Some members are frustrated with long lines forming at the Kaiser pharmacies. One interaction shared in a TikTok video posted last week showed a pharmacy customer questioning a Kaiser employee at the Riverside Kaiser pharmacy in an exchange that grew so tense that a security guard was called to calm the situation.
Also see: 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers will join Kaiser’s nurses strike
For updates and open locations, Kaiser has directed members to kp.org to find the nearest location to fill prescriptions or obtain lab services.
“Our hospitals and nearly all medical offices will remain open, though some of our pharmacies and labs will be closed,” said Kaiser in a statement shortly after UFCW announced its plans to join in the strike. “We are working closely with community partners, commercial laboratories, and retail pharmacy networks to minimize any impact on our members.”
The striking UFCW locals in Southern California — who gave a 10-notice of their intent to strike on Jan. 29 — represent Kaiser employees who work as pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, clinical lab scientists, medical lab technicians, and clinical and administrative workers at Southern California medical facilities.
The United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals strike began Jan. 26 and is open-ended, keeping 31,000 registered nurses and staff in California and Hawaii off their jobs until the health care giant and the union alliance reach a tentative contract agreement. The UFCW union isn’t saying how long its strike will last, though Kaiser maintains that the UFCW strike is open-ended in Southern California.
Also see: Nurses dig into rainy day funds to keep Kaiser strike going
The contract covering UFCW pharmacy employees in the region expired Nov. 1, while the contract covering UFCW clinical and medical laboratory specialists expired Feb. 1.
Kaiser and the UNAC/UHCP are negotiating to replace a five-year contract that expired Sept. 30. The union is striking for higher wages and benefits, and wants more employees hired to fill staffing shortages. It initially sought a 38% pay hike over four years and is now seeking a 25% raise. Kaiser has offered a 21.5% hike over four years.
More than 3,000 workers with the United Food and Commercial Workers union in Southern California joined a “second wave” of health care professionals striking Kaiser Permanente on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Above, Vons pharmacist Craig Chally leads a group of grocery pharmacists from Ralphs, owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., and Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions — all owned by Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. Inc. The grocery pharmacists joined with 31,000 striking registered nurses and healthcare professionals on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at the Kaiser Medical Center along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. These grocery pharmacists, whose contract expires on March 1, say they are seeing a surge of new Kaiser patients and prescriptions with no additional staffing during the Kaiser strike. (Courtesy of United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 770) Nurse Raquel Tinoco holds her 2-year-old son, Frankie, as she and 31,000 healthcare workers strike against Kaiser Permanente. Dozens of Irvine workers demonstrated outside the hospital on Monday, January 26, 2026. “We want more staffing to protect our patients,” she said. “You can’t be in 10 places at once.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 2More than 3,000 workers with the United Food and Commercial Workers union in Southern California joined a “second wave” of health care professionals striking Kaiser Permanente on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Above, Vons pharmacist Craig Chally leads a group of grocery pharmacists from Ralphs, owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., and Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions — all owned by Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. Inc. The grocery pharmacists joined with 31,000 striking registered nurses and healthcare professionals on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at the Kaiser Medical Center along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. These grocery pharmacists, whose contract expires on March 1, say they are seeing a surge of new Kaiser patients and prescriptions with no additional staffing during the Kaiser strike. (Courtesy of United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 770) ExpandRelated Articles
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