HONOLULU, HI – As of 6:30 a.m., over 1,900 Kaiser Permanente workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 5 (Local 5) are on a limited-duration 5-day strike until Sunday, October 19 at 7 a.m. More than 45,000 Kaiser workers in California, Oregon, and Washington state are also on strike as part of the Alliance of Healthcare Unions. The strike impacts 20 Kaiser locations on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island, and includes medical assistants, hospital aides, lab assistants, dietary specialists, housekeepers, and more. Contract negotiations on the local level began in April between Kaiser and Local 5. Key priorities for workers include wage increases that keep up with the cost of living and safe staffing that protects the physical and mental health of workers, while ensuring quality patient care.