Kaiser Permanente workers in Līhuʻe join nationwide strike

Union employees at Kaiser Permanente’s Līhuʻe Clinic joined thousands across the country in a coordinated five-day strike demanding higher pay and more staffing support.

The five Kaiser employees joined more than 1,900 Kaiser Permanente hospital workers in Hawai‘i, represented by the UNITE HERE Local 5 union.

The yes vote gave the union leadership the authority to call for a walkout once current contracts expire on Sept. 30, 2025.

Jenn Kindipan, a practical nurse at the Līhuʻe clinic for five years, said Tuesday she and her team are striking because “we’ve reached a point where this was the best way for us to express our voices. … From staffing shortages putting patients at risk, to compensation that is not reflective of our current costs of living needs, these issues were not implemented and properly addressed.”

This is despite efforts to raise concerns about these problems over the past few years, she said.

“Striking is never our first choice, but it has become necessary to protect both our patients and our coworkers,” she said. “We want to return to our patients — but we need Kaiser to come to the table in good faith.”

Kindipan said the union is prepared to strike “for as long as it takes to be heard and taken seriously.”

The five Kaiser employees are among 30,000 registered nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and other frontline professionals working at Kaiser Permanente in Hawaiʻi and California who also are on strike until Sunday morning.

On Monday, Kaiser Permanente issued a statement that said “our latest offer increases their already above-market wages by an additional 21.5% over the 4-year contract. The offer also enhances employees’ high-value medical plans and retiree benefits — benefits that have long made Kaiser Permanente an employer of choice.”

The statement added: “A strike is unnecessary when a generous offer is on the table. The strike is designed to disrupt the lives of our patients — the very people we are all here to serve.”

The five Kaiser employees expressed “dreading the walkout” when they arrived on Tuesday morning due to retaliation from either patients or upset community members.

“These employees need to stick with it,” Līhuʻe Kaiser patient William Rodrigues Kaiwa said. “They gotta give them what they deserve, and you know what, they should be asking for more.”

Rodrigues immediately became upset as he explained how frustrated he was with the current situation and the administration.

“I’m just kind of fed up with what’s going on with the administration, this government shutdown. I’m fed up, this is all ridiculous,” he said.

Rodrigues mentions that his son-in-law, a TSA agent at Līhuʻe Airport, was furloughed following the government shutdown two weeks ago. Since he was not considered an essential worker, his son-in-law now faces uncertainty about whether he will be able to return to his job.

“Thatʻs why they should ask for more,” said Rodrigues’ wife, Bernadette. “They should be asking for 50 or more, and we will keep them in our prayers that they get nothing less.”

The employees add that hearing support from the community “brings us so much hope,” especially after one car stopped to yell “Get a job” at the Kaiser workers.

Later, the driver came back to apologize, explaining that she “didn’t know it was Kaiser employees on strike.”

“That was scary for us,” said Julie Hovis, senior lab assistant at Kaiser Līhuʻe. “We donʻt have security, and itʻs just five of us,” she said.

The team was also joined by several community members and supported by UNITE HERE Local 5 union members from nearby hotels.

Hovis, who has been with the company for five years, explains that she transferred from Southern California to Kauaʻi and took a pay cut in order to accept a higher position.

“I got here and I saw how unfair it was for my co-workers, how unfair it was for me,” Hovis said. “I was working five days a week, and it became a lot for me, so I had to go and get Family and Medical Leave because it’s too stressful to get a day off.

“And, I just feel like it’s not fair for the locals who probably don’t even know how to fight for themselves to get what they deserve, and I just hope that we’re seen and we’re heard, and that it doesn’t have to get to this extreme.”

Kindipan said: “We’re hoping for a fair agreement that addresses the root causes of burnout and turnover. Mainly short staffing and stagnant wages. Ultimately, we want Kaiser to invest in its workforce so we can continue delivering safe, quality care.”

She added: “Let’s work together to find solutions to these important issues. You say you care about patients — then show it by supporting the healthcare workers who care for them every day. … We’re not asking for anything unreasonable. We’re asking for respect, safety, and the resources we need to do our jobs.”

For the patients they take care of, Kindipan said: “We care deeply about you and your health. This strike is for you as much as it is for us. We’re fighting to ensure you get the care you deserve — not rushed, not understaffed, but safe and thorough.”