From coast to coast, healthcare workers in the U.S. have participated in labor strikes this year, citing concerns about issues such as pay, staffing and recruitment. The strikes have involved workers from large health systems, including a walkout at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente that was deemed by unions as the largest healthcare worker strike in the U.S. Now the question remains: Is healthcare's era of strikes here to stay?

Members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT Local 5017, are set to begin a five-day strike Oct. 23 at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash., and PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, Wash., instead of the originally planned open-ended walkout, according to The Oregonian.

Members of the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union and the California Nurses Association say Prime Healthcare's Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding, Calif., has proposed a new staffing plan that would violate the state's staffing ratio law and put patients at risk.

Members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West began a five-day strike Oct. 23 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif., a union representative confirmed to Becker's.

Boston Medical Center workers held a rally Oct. 19 to call for higher pay.

Registered nurses have voted to unionize at St. Peter's Health clinics in Helena, Mont.

Members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee have approved a new three-year labor contract with Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago.

Members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT Local 5017, could lose their employer-paid health insurance subsidy if their planned strike occurs and carries into November, hospital administrators warned Oct. 17. 

Members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT Local 5017, are set to begin a strike Oct. 23 at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash., and PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, Wash., CBS affiliate KOIN reported. 

More than 400 primary care physicians affiliated with Minneapolis-based Allina Health System have voted to unionize, potentially creating the largest private-sector physicians union in the U.S., according to The New York Times.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and a labor coalition have reached a tentative four-year deal after a strike earlier this month involving tens of thousands of workers in multiple states.

Members of the Rochester Union of Nurses and Allied Professionals have voted for the second time this year to authorize a strike at Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital.  

The Rutgers AAUP-AFT faculty/graduate worker union is calling on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to rescind RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan's appointment to the Rutgers Board of Governors.

A labor coalition of 11 unions, which staged a strike earlier this month involving tens of thousands of workers in multiple states, is giving Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente a few more weeks to reach a new labor contract before facing another strike in November.

Union activity has always been prevalent in healthcare. Amid today's industry challenges and after going through a pandemic, however, workers have become especially vocal about issues such as pay, staffing and working conditions.

Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West began a five-day strike Oct. 9 affecting four Prime Healthcare facilities in California.

A union is petitioning for the top executives at Oregon Health & Science University to decline bonuses. 

Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West are set to launch a strike Oct. 9 affecting four Prime Healthcare facilities in California.

A strike by Kaiser Permanente workers in multiple states is expected to conclude Oct. 7. However, a new 10-day strike notice is possible after that date, which could lead to further striking after those 10 days, unions said in a news release shared with Becker's.  

A strike at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., has lasted nine weeks.