Kim Coco Iwamoto

May 28, 2024

Kim Coco Iwamoto made history in 2006 as the highest-ranking openly-transgender elected official in the U.S., after winning a seat on the Hawai‘i State Board of Education. After two terms, she was appointed to and served two terms on the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission. Iwamoto had initially envisioned a career in fashion, but after being fired from a job in New York for being transgender, she enrolled in law school. As a public interest attorney, she worked tirelessly to expand civil rights laws. As a politician, she has been credited with giving the transgeder community a foothold in political representation and sent a message that LGBTQ+ people have a place everywhere – including the halls of power.

More from NUHW

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 58

There has already been some media attention about the joint letters from State Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas — and a majority of state […]

Press release: Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire and majority of California legislators sign letters urging Kaiser Permanente to end strike by settling on the union’s terms

A majority of California legislators have signed onto nearly identical letters calling on Kaiser Permanente CEO Greg Adams to end a nearly two-month strike by Southern California mental health professionals by returning to the bargaining table and agreeing to their proposals for settlement.

News of the Month – December 2024

Español Note: Viewing some of these stories may require a subscription. The Kaiser Mental Health Strike, which is now in its ninth week, continues to generate coverage including stories on […]

NUHW continues growth in Providence system with Torrance election victory

More than 500 workers at Providence Little Company of Mary Torrance voted to join NUHW in December, joining ranks with over 3,000 of their fellow Providence employees throughout California.

Read NUHW’s 2024 Top 10(ish) Stories of the Year

NUHW has a lot of unfinished business as 2024 heads to a close, but we have still accomplished a lot this year.

Majority of state legislators back workers in Kaiser mental health strike

In a highly unusual action, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, and a majority of California legislators signed letters urging Kaiser to end the nine-week-old strike by setting on NUHW’s terms.

Kaiser Mental Health Strike entering third month

With the mental health strike entering its third month, workers delivered a Christmas message to Kaiser, with pressure mounting for a fair settlement.

Picket outside USC hospital brings out workers and allies

The informational picket outside USC Verdugo Hills Hospital was a significant escalation for nearly 400 workers who joined NUHW last December.

Two first contracts in the books

Workers get good raises at Seton Medical Center in Daly City and Rogers Behavioral Health San Diego.

Member profile: Kenia Leon

Mental health professional continues the activism work she did as a teen at Sonoma County Jail, pushing to elevate workers’ voices.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 54

Both letters are in. On Thursday, State Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire sent a letter to Kaiser CEO Greg Adams, signed by a majority of state senators, calling on […]

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 51

Nearly 400 strikers participated in a major action today outside Kaiser headquarters in Pasadena. The event began with a food and toy distribution at a nearby union hall before a caravan of strikers, snaking their way down , marched to Kaiser headquarters with a giant cardboard heart in tow.

Press release: Caregivers to picket USC Verdugo Hills Hospital demanding a contract that provides safe staffing and fair wages and benefits

Wednesday’s picket comes one year after nearly 400 workers formed a union and one month after USC shuttered the hospital’s birthing center.

Press release: National Association of Social Workers calls on Kaiser to “accept the union’s reasonable contract proposals”

The California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers has written a letter to Kaiser Permanente CEO Greg Adams calling on Kaiser to “resume good faith negotiations with NUHW’s Southern California members as soon as possible, and accept the union’s reasonable contract proposals.”

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 47

We had an extra good week in San Diego, where several workers were special guests at the Labor Council’s holiday party on Wednesday. They spoke about the strike and got several dozen participants to sign our support petition.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 45

We had an eventful day on the picket lines, especially in Lancaster, where Kaiser security illegally walked around with a clipboard taking notes on what they saw. Strikers recorded Kaiser’s illegal surveillancing, and Kaiser’s overzealous head of security was so bothered by it that he grabbed the phone of a striker and threw it on the...

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 43

Between the National Association of Social Workers and the leaders of the State Senate and Assembly, a growing number of influential stakeholders are telling Kaiser it needs to settle this contract now.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 38

This week, State Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire joined Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas in calling on Kaiser CEO Greg Adams to “agree to the union’s reasonable contract proposals."

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 36

Week Six of our strike is off to a festive start. We had a lot of fun with our Where’s Waldo/Where’s Kaiser theme. Someone on the San Diego line even put a Greg Adams nametag on the fat cat.

Press release: Kaiser is violating state law and its own plan to avoid mass appointment cancellations as strike enters sixth week

With a strike by nearly 2,400 Kaiser mental health professionals in Southern California entering its second month Thursday, Kaiser therapists in Northern California will join their striking colleagues for simultaneous noontime rallies outside Kaiser corporate offices in Pasadena and Oakland.

Mixed results in November election

NUHW-backed candidates fared well locally, but there will be big challenges to protect workers’ rights on the federal level.

Kaiser strike enters second month with passionate rallies in Pasadena and Oakland

With Kaiser facing increased political pressure to return to the bargaining table, striking workers in Southern California and their counterparts in the north took their message directly to company executives.

News of the Month – November 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member profile: Roxanne Bowdoin

Bowdoin, a nursing assistant at Cottonwood Healthcare Center, is an enterprising leader at work and at home.

Providence workers reaffirm united front in Northern California contract campaign

More than three-quarters of the 2,300 Providence workers fighting to win common contractual standards throughout Northern California have signed a unity petition, pledging to work together to safeguard care in their communities.

Mixed results in November election

NUHW-backed candidates fared well locally, but there will be big challenges to protect workers’ rights on the federal level.

Sacramento Behavioral Health Hospital workers vote to join NUHW

More than 260 caregivers withstood a fierce anti-union campaign to win a voice in their workplace.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 31

We commemorated the one-month mark of our strike with two boisterous rallies in Pasadena and Oakland. About 300 strikers converged on Kaiser’s regional headquarters in Southern California.

Press release: Exactly one month into strike, therapists will hold simultaneous rallies outside Kaiser headquarters in Pasadena and Oakland

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 29

We started Week 5 with new people on the picket lines and a strong showing in Los Angeles after Kaiser and the police blocked the distribution of food boxes on Friday.

Press release: Kaiser is subject of complaint over severely understaffed hospice services as strike enters fifth week

Kaiser Permanente’s state-mandated contingency plan for providing timely and appropriate mental health care during an ongoing strike is woefully inadequate, without any detail for how it is providing critical mental health services for its 4.8 million Southern California members.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 26

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas signed a powerful letter on our behalf to Kaiser CEO Greg Adams; Kaiser blocked groceries from being delivered to striking workers; we shine light on Kaiser's "efficiencies"; and of course, there was guacamole.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 24

In a powerful display of strength and solidarity, more than 100 of us from across Southern California — along with allies from other unions — stopped Kaiser from hosting a successful party for major healthcare purchasers last night at Petco Park in San Diego.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 22

Our fourth week on strike began with energetic picket lines, a powerful action in Los Angeles and fresh interest from local media. Reporters from KNBC and Telemundo visited the Anaheim […]

Press release: State regulator opens enforcement investigation against Kaiser as strike enters fourth week

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 19

We are ending the third week of our strike with Kaiser under increasing pressure over how it's treating patients seeking care.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 15

We started the third week of our strike with good energy on the picket lines and strong interest from media and state authorities about Kaiser’s inadequate and incomplete plan to continue providing critical mental health services.

Press release: Kaiser produces inadequate plan to avoid mass appointment cancellations as mental health strike enters third week

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 12

We wrapped up an energetic second week on the picket line with a couple of special guests. At Los Angeles Medical Center, the band Ozomatli performed on the picket line! […]

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 8

With our picket lines now starting at 8 a.m., we got a little more sleep and had a little extra energy out on the lines. At LAMC, we got an extra boost from a visit by Congressman Jimmy Gomez and members of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE).

Seton Workers win back health coverage with strong contract

It took a strike and months of organizing and agitation but NUHW members at AHMC Seton Medical Center and Seton Coastside won a contract that provides strong raises restores quality healthcare benefits.

Member profile: Rosie Brooks

Telecommunications Analyst at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland strives to make collective change in the workplace.

News of the Month – October 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Kindred Santa Cruz workers secure new contract with up to 18 percent wage increases

After everyone came out to an informational picket, caregivers won a strong contract with good raises, more paid time off and better health benefits.

Sal Rosselli honored for NUHW’s leadership on mental health parity

Sal accepted the Jim Preis Memorial Award on behalf of NUHW members on the front lines advocating to improve access to behavioral health care.

Kaiser mental health professionals on strike

The strike began on October 21 and will continue throughout Southern California until Kaiser reaches a fair agreement that benefits workers and patients.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 5

We had one of the biggest turnouts for bargaining today in recent memory. More than 50 of us participated in contract negotiations to show that we’re united and determined to win a fair contract that benefits us and Kaiser patients.

Press release: Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: After unproductive bargaining session, Kaiser mental health professionals return to picket lines

After an unproductive bargaining session Wednesday, Kaiser Permanente’s nearly 2,400 mental health professionals will return to picket lines today, including the first picket line in Bakersfield since the strike began on Monday.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 4

We had another day of strong turnout and high energy as we moved our picket lines to Riverside, Woodland Hills, Irvine, and Baldwin Park.

Press release: Kaiser mental health strike: Negotiations resume today as leading social worker professional organization backs strikers

Negotiations resume today as the leading voice for social workers in California backs striking mental health professionals and calls on Kaiser Permanente to address their “critical issues."

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 3

We had another day of strong turnout and high energy as we moved our picket lines to Riverside, Woodland Hills, Irvine, and Baldwin Park.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 2

We had another day of strong turnout and high energy as we moved our picket lines to Riverside, Woodland Hills, Irvine, and Baldwin Park.

Kaiser Mental Health Care Strike: Day 1

We had great turnout and lots of energy on our picket lines for Day 1 of our open-ended strike. More than 500 NUHW members walked the picket line at Los Angeles Medical Center and many more picketed at Fontana, Anaheim, and San Diego.

Press release: Nearly 2,400 mental health professionals at Kaiser Permanente will begin striking at 6 a.m. today throughout Southern California

The open-ended strike is a last resort for caregivers who have fought for years to make Kaiser fix a mental health system so broken that it was fined $50 million in 2023

Kaiser Mental Health Strike Information

Read the press release, see the picket line schedule, and access campaign resources.

Kaiser mental health strike: picket line locations

See all the locations for the Southern California Kaiser Permanente mental health workers' strike.

Member Resources: Kaiser Psych-Social Strike

Get all the information you need about our strike: picket line schedule, FAQs, hardship funds, and more.

Kaiser Permanente’s mental health professionals to begin open-ended strike 6 a.m. , Monday, October 21

Nearly 2,400 mental health professionals will form picket lines outside Kaiser facilities throughout Southern California demanding that the nation’s largest non-profit HMO fix a mental health system that’s so broken, the state of California fined it $50 million last year.

With Kaiser Mental Health Strike approaching, workers call on state authorities to enforce laws requiring Kaiser to provide care

The strike announcement comes exactly one year after California’s top health regulator fined Kaiser a record $50 million for numerous mental health deficiencies including understaffing its mental health services.

Nearly 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals to start open-ended strike Oct. 21

Nearly 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals authorize open-ended strike

Caregivers in Southern California approved strike authorization after Kaiser rejected proposals to address staffing shortages and provide more time for critical patient care responsibilities

NUHW honors State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Gail Pellerin as legislators of the year

Both lawmakers accepted their awards during NUHW’s Leadership Conference and pledged to further their efforts to help workers and patients achieve parity for behavioral health care.

NUHW kicks off race for California governor with first candidate forum

After four of the leading candidates for California governor appeared on stage together for the first time at NUHW’s leadership conference, Tony Thurmond was the leading vote-getter in a non-binding straw poll.

In the race for California governor, Thurmond gets high marks from healthcare workers

In a non-binding straw poll that followed a candidate forum sponsored by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, held in San Francisco Sunday, September 29, NUHW members in attendance and […]

Watch the NUHW Governor Candidate Forum

In September, two years prior to the mid-term election, NUHW will host a Governor Candidate Forum.

Member Profile: Edward Pérez

Pérez

News of the Month – September 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Caregivers picket Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz

Español Caregivers at Dominican Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation center held a picket on September 18, calling for a fair contract that will help the center retain workers and provide the best […]

Nursing home workers on a winning streak with a new contract

Shortly after authorizing a strike, more than 100 workers at the Novato Healthcare Center won a contract that builds on the raises they secured months earlier.

Workers at Rogers Behavioral Health set new standard in first contract

After caregivers in the Bay Area won caseload limits and strong wage increases, their counterparts in San Diego decided to join them as NUHW members.

Attentive Kaiser workers secure nearly $1 million in unpaid raises

Kaiser failed to automate the process for paying longevity raises, which left nearly 70 NUHW members without full paychecks.

NUHW 2024 Endorsements

Before your cast your ballot, see which candidates support us! NUHW members voted to endorse local, state, and federal candidates who support working people in fighting for fair contracts and better working conditions.

Member Profile: David Muñoz

The certified nursing assistant, who found his “voice” after learning English, is helping his coworkers at Novato Health Center speak up for themselves.

Providence Sonoma HomeCare Workers Join NUHW

The nearly 30 workers are determined to increase their salaries and eliminate appointment quotas that have resulted in increased turnover and lower staffing levels.

Kamala Harris confidante and congressional candidate visits NUHW

Lateefah Simon, who is running to succeed Barbara Lee in representing Oakland and the East Bay in Congress, visited NUHW’s Emeryville office this month to talk about how she can help workers.

NUHW members at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital ratify new contract

The agreement secures workers 12.5 percent retroactive wage increases and dramatically reduces the impact of the employer’s takeaways from bankruptcy

Hospice workers win back pay, caseload limits

Shortly after joining NUHW, caregivers at Providence Hospice filed a ULP charge that has led to a settlement that guarantees appropriate staffing levels and extra pay for people who take on additional duties.

New NUHW members hold first picket at Providence San Pedro

Less than a year after joining NUHW, the hospital workers held an informational picket, protesting Providence's regressive bargaining.

Keck Medicine of USC workers authorize strike

After previously holding an informational picket, workers at Keck–USC hospitals are preparing to strike if they can’t reach an agreement that will provide fair pay and safe staffing levels.

News of the Month – August 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Healthcare workers at Keck Medicine of USC vote overwhelmingly to authorize a strike

Despite staffing shortages and worker burnout, the university is demanding wage freezes for some workers and the removal of a guarantee of the free family HMO plan which has currently in place.

Healthcare workers to picket Providence San Pedro Hospital on Wednesday, Aug. 21

The workers, who include licensed vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, nursing assistants, medical technicians, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, voted over the past year to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers and have been negotiating a first contract since February.

Member Profile: Ashley Christensen

The Physical Therapist at Visiting Nurses Association of Santa Cruz is an exercise enthusiast who helped lead her coworkers in the bargaining of their new contract.

News of the Month – July 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

RAMS workers secure additional pay raise

NUHW members at the nonprofit mental health provider will get an additional three percent raise and become more involved in helping their employer secure additional funding.

Hawai’i workers make Kaiser pay full performance bonus

When Kaiser claimed that mental health professionals in Hawai’i only qualified for a portion of their $5,000 performance bonus, they showed that Kaiser was crunching numbers incorrectly and won their full bonus.

Labor Fed passes NUHW resolution on Kaiser

With contract bargaining set to begin for NUHW-represented mental health professionals in Southern California, The California Labor Federation passed a resolution calling on Kaiser to bargain a fair contract.

National Union of Healthcare Workers endorses Kamala Harris for president

NUHW's endorsement is based on two decades of experience working with Harris to improve the lives of California’s working families.

Stockton Unified School District workers ratify first union contract

A year after 50 district therapists organized with NUHW, they have achieved equitable pay and working conditions with their co-workers.

Sutter workers keep free healthcare in hard-fought contract wins

After pickets, strikes and extensive political outreach, more than 500 NUHW members at Sutter Health reach agreement on new contracts this month.

News of the Month – June 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center nurses join NUHW

Registered nurses win card check election, strengthening union presence at nonprofit serving San Francisco’s immigrant population.

NUHW members push Kaiser to honor Juneteenth

After NUHW members in Oakland and Richmond struck two years ago to make Kaiser Permanente recognize MLK Day as a paid holiday, they have begun organizing to do the same for Juneteenth.

Four Democratic candidates for Califoria governor to appear at NUHW Forum this September

In September, two years prior to the mid-term election, NUHW will host a Governor Candidate Forum.

MarinHealth workers win big raises in first contract

Workers at the outpatient MRI clinic will receive on average 23 percent raises in the first year of the agreement.

State Legislature honors NUHW’s Sal Rosselli as LGBTQ icon

Rosselli was one of 16 LGBTQ leaders honored this month by both houses of the California State Legislature for their contributions to the state.

NUHW members hit picket lines at Keck-USC

With the university proposing wage freezes and healthcare cuts that would worsen an understaffing crisis, NUHW members picketed hospitals across the Keck-USC system.

Healthcare Workers to Picket Keck–USC Hospitals and Clinics, Wednesday, June 5

2,000 healthcare workers are protesting short-staffing, wage freezes, reductions in healthcare benefits, and Keck–USC’s union-busting tactics.

Kaiser mental health professionals gear up for big contract fight

In the aftermath of a successful strike in Northern California, their counterparts in Southern California are uniting behind a platform to win similar gains.

Member Profile: Benjamín Maldonado

Maldonado, a janitor at San Rafael Healthcare & Wellness Center, likes to organize teammates on the soccer field and at the workplace.

MarinHealth workers win new contract after strike

The five-year agreement includes significantly bigger raises than management had offered before workers held their first work stoppage in more than five years.

NUHW Lobby Day helps save critical patient care bill

On Mental Health Matters Day at the State Capitol, teams of NUHW members and staff met with dozens of lawmakers and their staffers to secure support for two NUHW-sponsored bills.

Nursing home workers win better salaries and benefits

Long-tenured members at a Marin County nursing home will get 8 percent raises over the next two years in addition to bridge toll reimbursements and more bereavement leave.

NUHW grows at Providence’s St. Joseph Eureka and Santa Rosa Memorial hospitals

More than 150 professionals at the two facilities voted this month to join their colleagues as NUHW members — giving NUHW more than 2,000 members at Providence facilities throughout Northern California.

Corrine Sako advocates for patients and her fellow therapists

The Sacramento-based psychologist is a fierce mental health advocate who leads several initiatives to improve access to mental health care for many of Sacramento’s most vulnerable residents.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin takes a leading role in the fight for mental health parity

The first-term Assemblymember from Santa Cruz lost her husband to suicide. Now she’s joining with NUHW to help Californians access the care they need and make health plans provide it.

Keck-USC workers refuse to be silenced

In a show of strength, nearly 2,000 NUHW members at Keck Medicine of USC, rallied against the university’s attempt to take away their benefits or their right to advocate for patients.

San Diego Supervisors pass resolution backing Kaiser therapists

San Diego became the third county in the last six months to urge Kaiser to restore critical patient care time for mental health therapists in Southern California.

Celebrating May Day in Los Angeles

More than 2,000 workers filled the streets of Hollywood, marching and chanting before the start of a rally that included remarks from NUHW member Elnora Oseguera.

NUHW members honored for 2022 Kaiser strike

The SF Labor Council honored NUHW mental health workers for their 10-week strike that forced Kaiser to start making major improvements to its mental health services.

Member Profile: Augustin Martinez

The medical assistant and shop steward at Mission Neighborhood Health Center says being part of a union makes him feel secure and supported.

Homecare workers picket in Santa Cruz

With some patients being put on a waitlist due to lack of available caregivers, NUHW members at Sutter’s Visiting Nurse Association of Santa Cruz are fighting for better pay with no cuts to their health benefits.

Providence workers launch fight for single NorCal contract

NUHW members from across all facilities are showing up to the negotiations in a united front to win improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions.

More USC workers vote to join NUHW

After a long delay due to the university’s legal maneuverings, caregivers at the USC Engemann Student Health Center voted to join more than 2,000 of their colleagues as NUHW members.

Assembly advances NUHW-sponsored legislation

The two bills would help patients advocate for their rights and help state authorities hold health plans accountable for providing legally-required health care.

Sutter workers strike again in Sacramento with Dolores Huerta in attendance

NUHW members at Sutter Health’s Sacramento psychiatric hospital held a three-day strike as they continue to fight for a first contract with fair wages and no healthcare takeaways.

Marin workers hold first strike since 2019

More than 100 medical technicians at MarinHealth Medical Center struck for one day as they fight to protect their health benefits and win strong raises.

News of the Month — April 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Q&A with Sandra Leal-Lopez, LMFT

Sandra Leal-Lopez and her colleagues in Panorama City have been creative in fighting back against Kaiser’s cut to Patient Management Time and they’re gearing up to demand more from Kaiser in contract negotiations.

Workers to strike Sutter psychiatric hospital in Sacramento for three days starting Tuesday, April 23

Workers are fighting for a contract that improves wages, preserves affordable health benefits, and addresses unsafe staffing.

Seton workers strike to restore quality health insurance

In violation of their contract, the hospital changed its health plan forcing workers to pay up to $6,000 a year to keep access to their doctors and accept a plan with few participating doctors or hospitals.

News of the Month – March 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

NUHW members take fight to Providence

In March, workers fought to restore birthing services at a Providence hospital in Petaluma, while Providence workers throughout the region prepared to bargain a single contract.

Los Angeles Board of Supervisors passes resolution in support of Kaiser therapists

In a unanimous vote, the board expressed its opposition to Kaiser's decision to reduce the amount of time therapists have to perform critical patient care duties.

Member Profile: Salote Lutui

The mental health specialist at Richmond Area Multi-Services wants to be a voice for her colleagues and her community as an NUHW steward.

News of the Month — March 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

News of the Month – February 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Sal Goshorn

The Anesthesia Tech at USC Norris Cancer Hospital is using his bargaining experience as former president of the State Parks Peace Officers Association to serve on his 200-member Keck-USC Contract Bargaining Committee.

Kindred San Diego professional workers ratify their first union contract

After showing resolve with a three-day strike, laboratory and pharmacy workers agreed to a contract that will boost wages 23 percent over three years.

Reflecting on the longest ever mental health strike

Rachel Kaya is proud of her colleagues in Hawai’i who won a contract from Kaiser Permanente last February after a 172-day strike.

NUHW hosts Katie Porter rally

Congresswoman Porter spoke to an audience of nearly 200 supporters at NUHW’s Emeryville headquarters with local electeds and union leaders pledging to help her win the March 5 Primary Election for U.S. Senate.

NUHW sponsors new mental health parity bills

The bills, authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, would help state regulators hold accountable health plans that violate parity laws and help patients successfully advocate for their right to treatment.

NUHW expands presence at Providence San Pedro

In a major organizing victory, more than 80 rehabilitation therapists, social workers, and dietitians voted overwhelmingly to join their coworkers as NUHW members.

News of the Month – January 2024

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Nora Fonseca

Nora, a housekeeper at Sutter California Pacific Medical Center, walked picket lines with her mother before becoming a union leader herself at the San Francisco hospital.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center workers get big raises with contract extension

Caregivers who provide services to low-income families in San Francisco agreed to 22 percent raises as part of contract extension that runs into 2028.

Dominican Hospital workers unit to win strong contract

The four-year agreement at the Santa Cruz facility will boost wages 18 percent, while capping insurance premium increases and boosting pay for weekend work.

NUHW joins fight against anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in Glendale

NUHW members stood in solidarity this month with students, parents and teachers in Glendale where far-right agitators have held violent protests and are now seeking seats on the city’s school board.

California Assembly passes NUHW-backed “Ghost Network” bill

The bill, which now heads to the State Senate, would require health plans to maintain accurate lists of in-network providers, including mental health therapists.

NUHW members at Providence hospital get abusive managers terminated

One year after using their collective power to win a great contract, workers at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center put their power on display once again to oust problem managers in the housekeeping and engineering departments.

News of the Month – December 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Workers at Aspen nursing homes fight hard for new contracts

More than 200 caregivers at three Sacramento-area nursing homes averted severe takeaways in tough negotiations with a new operator.

Seton workers picket over cuts to services and health benefits

Having successfully fought to keep their community hospital open through two bankruptcies, NUHW members are now confronting a new owner that is slashing patient care services and worker healthcare benefits.

NUHW nurses save the day at fundraiser

NUHW nurses save the day at fundraiser.

Sutter workers hold first ever strike

Fed up with severe understaffing and 18 months of fruitless contract negotiations, nearly 150 NUHW members held a one-day strike December 6 at the Sutter Center for Psychiatry in Sacramento.

Orange County Supervisors call on Kaiser to reverse cuts

The Orange County Board of Supervisors became the first elected body to pass a resolution calling on Kaiser to reverse cuts that leave therapists in Southern California with even less time to perform critical patient care duties.

NUHW membership at USC tops 2,000 with organizing victories at Verdugo Hills Hospital

In a major victory for worker power throughout the Keck-USC healthcare system, nearly 400 workers voted to join NUHW in December.

Workers to picket Seton Medical Center

Employer AMHC has cut employee health benefits to the point that many caregivers can’t afford to access care.

News of the Month – November 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Humberto Retana

Humberto Retana is a marriage and family therapist who got involved with his union to support his coworkers and "stay close to the action."

Sutter workers picket psych hospital, authorize strike

Local media outlets covered the picket that included several local elected leaders supporting NUHW members, who have been in contract negotiations for 18 months. A one-day strike has been authorized for December 6.

After winning contract, NUHW members take concerns to county sheriff

After winning contract, NUHW members take concerns to county sheriff.

NUHW continues growth at Keck-USC Health System

Workers at the USC Spine Center are the latest USC employees to join NUHW with more union elections scheduled for December.

More hospice workers vote to join NUHW

In just 18 months NUHW has gone from not representing any hospice workers to representing nearly 400 at five workplaces. The latest to join include workers at Hospice East Bay and Sutter Care at Home Sacramento.

Member Profile: Creight Fontenelle

Creight and his nearly 1,800 coworkers are gearing up to win the best contract ever at Keck USC.

NUHW endorses Katie Porter for U.S. Senate

The endorsement was decided by NUHW members who voted to endorse the Orange County congress member following a candidate forum during our Leadership Conference in Los Angeles.

News of the Month – October 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Kindred San Diego workers strike for fair pay

Approximately 20 pharmacy and laboratory workers held a three-day strike demanding wage increases on par with what their NUHW-represented colleagues recently won at the hospital.

Newsom signs NUHW-backed universal healthcare bill

NUHW helped spearhead the bill to move California farther along the path to a universal healthcare system through its leadership in Healthy California Now, the state’s largest coalition of single-payer, Medicare for All healthcare advocates.

Kindred Bay Area workers win better salaries and benefits

Kindred Bay Area workers win better salaries and benefits.

Historic settlement: Kaiser agrees to pay record fine, spend $150 million to improve mental health services

In a major victory for Kaiser therapists and patients, Kaiser acknowledged systemic failures in its mental healthcare system and committed to addressing them. The agreement settled two state investigations, one of which found that Kaiser had canceled over 111,000 therapy appointments during last year’s 10-week strike.

Nearly 500 workers join NUHW in October

Approximately 470 workers at a major Providence hospital voted to join NUHW, while smaller groups workers at two facilities voted to join their colleagues as NUHW members.

Kaiser homecare workers fight back to preserve quality care

Instead of providing adequate staffing levels, Kaiser is seeking to force homecare workers to work across established service lines and service areas, threatening patients with longer waits for care.

Victory for Medical Social Workers at Kaiser

Medical Social Workers in Kern County recently won open schedules and ended the practice of booked appointments in their department. The old booking practice had interfered with their autonomy and opened the door for micromanagement.

NUHW-backed universal healthcare bill heads to governor’s desk

SB 770, which passed the Assembly in September, would pave the way to guaranteeing healthcare for all Californians.

Member Profile: Billie Jean Barton

As NUHW members at Providence hospitals in Northern California prepare to bargain their next contract, union steward Billie Jean Barton is encouraging her coworkers — including her own son — to get involved in the negotiations.

News of the Month – September 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Thomas Christian

Following his father’s example, Thomas Christian is outspoken in his advocacy for his co-workers.

News of the Month – September 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

NUHW further expands presence at Keck-USC healthcare system

Seeking the same job security and benefits as their NUHW colleagues, Pasadena Lab workers voted unanimously to unionize.

Workers get Penalty Pay extended at a major Providence hospital

After a year of paycheck errors that triggered a fierce response from stewards, NUHW members at Queen of the Valley Medical Center secured $250 in penalty pay for any future errors.

Complaint seeks to downgrade Kaiser’s accreditation status in Hawai’i

In filing complaint with Kaiser’s accreditation agency, NUHW cites HMO’s failure to meet the mental health staffing levels it had agreed to in its Corrective Action Plan.

Kaiser Model of Care Committees off to good start

In part due the mental health timely access law NUHW sponsored, Model of Care Committees in Northern California have made strong recommendations to increase access and reduce caseloads.

Poised to strike, workers win big raises at Anaheim hospital

NUHW’s newest members at West Anaheim Medical Center will receive average wage increases of 26 percent with some workers securing 61 percent raises over the next three years.

Member Profile: Michael Camarena

Michael Camarena, a pharmacy tech at West Anaheim Medical Center, is helping lead coworkers in their fight for safe staffing and better pay.

A small contract provision makes a big difference for patients

NUHW contract at San Francisco nonprofit includes language helping therapists with immigration paperwork so patients get culturally competent care.

New NUHW members picket West Anaheim Medical Center over short staffing, poverty wages

Seven months after voting to join their colleagues as members of NUHW, workers formed picket lines to demand fair treatment and better wages.

Opposition growing to Kaiser’s patient care takeaways

Elected officials, including Rep. Katie Porter (shown above), are joining NUHW members in opposing an attempt by Kaiser to reduce the amount of time mental health therapists in Southern California would have for critical patient care duties.

LA LGBT Center workers ratify contract with improved salaries and security measures

The three-year agreement will boost wages by an average of 22 percent and provide safer working conditions amid a sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes.

News of the Month – July 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Isidro Sanchez

During his 17 years at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Isidro Sanchez has helped build a union that helped workers win respect and significantly higher pay from their employer.

News of the Month – June 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Phlebotomists win higher salaries, $6,000 in back wages

Shortly before a grievance was set to go to arbitration, Queen of the Valley Medical Center agreed to create a higher-paying Phlebotomist classification and pay several workers who should have been receiving higher wages for over a year.

Workers ready to picket West Anaheim Medical Center

Elected officials and community allies are supporting NUHW members in their fight for a fair contract.

NUHW-backed reform bill clears key Assembly committee

After sailing through the State Senate, SB 770, a bill that would set the stage for groundbreaking reform of California’s healthcare financing and delivery system, advanced out of the State Assembly’s Health Committee.

NUHW passes Pride Month resolution against growing extremist violence

Amid growing extremist violence against the LGBTQ+ community, NUHW’s Executive Board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution rejecting LGBTQ+ hate.

Workers at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland ratify new contracts, averting second strike

The new contracts for more than 1,300 NUHW members include provisions to protect quality pediatric care in the East Bay as well as substantial pay increases and job security protections.

News of the Month – April 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Avleen Kaur

Whether it’s singing, reciting poetry, or defending her colleagues, the mental health counselor at Richmond Area Multi-Services never hesitates to make herself heard.

News of the Month – May 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

NUHW participates in Mental Health Matters Day

The annual mental health advocacy event in Sacramento presented an opportunity for NUHW members to meet peers and inform the public about our ongoing parity work.

NUHW expands presence at Keck-USC healthcare system

Nearly two dozen workers at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center voted to join more than 1,700 of their Keck-USC colleagues as NUHW members.

Kindred San Diego workers ratify contract with 26 percent average wage increases

New agreement includes the highest wage scale of any Kindred hospital in Southern California.

Fighting to save birthing services in Petaluma

Chanting “Keep OB Open,” dozens of workers protested the closure of Petaluma Valley Hospital’s birthing center and vowed to continue fighting to reopen it.

UCSF Children’s Hospital Oakland workers authorize second strike

More than 1,300 NUHW members are preparing for a potential three-day strike after UCSF refused to make movement in contract negotiations following a one-day strike in April.

Mental health patients now have legal precedent on their side

In a unanimous ruling, an appeals court revived a class-action lawsuit by families of Kaiser Permanente patients who claim they or their loved ones did not receive adequate mental health care. The ruling is now legal precedent in California.

State Senate passes NUHW-backed bill to put California on pathway to guaranteed healthcare

SB 770 aims to make California the first state to guarantee its residents a standard set of comprehensive, high quality health benefits.

Member Profile: Marlene Castro

The highly-respected Seton Medical Center social worker and case manager helped her colleagues secure their first contract.

Historic LGBTQ+ organization honors NUHW

NUHW was named Organization of the Year by the Stonewall Democratic Club, the largest LGBTQ+, feminist, and progressive political advocacy organization in Southern California.

Workers at Rogers Mental Health Clinic and Wellpath Santa Cruz jail vote to join NUHW

The newest NUHW members want to improve care for their patients, while securing fair wages and better working conditions.

State Senate advances NUHW-sponsored healthcare reform bill

SB 770 would set California on a path to becoming the first U.S. state to create a healthcare system in which no resident is denied care based on age, employment, disability, income, immigration status, or any other characteristic.

NUHW continues growth at Keck-USC

Workers at the USC Downtown Clinic overwhelmingly voted to join NUHW, while our union's more than 1,700 members at Keck-USC helped their colleagues beat back the university's attempt to deny raises to new NUHW members at the Roski Eye Institute.

NUHW members hold largest-ever strike at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland

Since a 2014 affiliation agreement put UCSF Health in control of the non-profit 223-bed Oakland hospital and satellite clinics, NUHW members and their colleagues have repeatedly raised concerns about UCSF under-resourcing care in the East Bay.

Member Profile: Shannon Signer

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital radiology tech uses her retail and teaching experience to advocate for coworkers

NUHW members get Fountain Valley Regional Hospital cited for inadequate care

Investigation by California regulator confirms hundreds of complaints filed by NUHW members about the hospital’s unsafe staffing levels.

How NUHW members won a great contract at Providence Tarzana

After failing to accomplish their goals in their previous contract campaign, workers at Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center built unprecedented unity to win bigger raises and other gains this year.

NUHW on leading edge of fight for charity care

Several years before prosecutors filed a lawsuit against Providence for sending debt collectors after patients who qualified for free care, NUHW members were blowing the whistle on its charity care violations in California.

NUHW members at Elk Grove Unified School District win big raises

After re-opening their contract last year, the workers secured a 10 percent retroactive raise as well as an additional bonus and better benefits.

Fountain Valley NUHW members honored at economic justice gala

At its annual Architects of Justice Awards banquet this month, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice honored the approximately 850 nurses and professional workers at the Tenet hospital who joined NUHW last year and won a contract with strong raises and patient protections.

Member Profile: Lucy Cisneros

Petaluma Valley Hospital ultrasound tech brings her fighting spirit from the tennis court to her Providence (St. Joseph) hospital.

Mental health therapists at Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii ratify contract ending 172-day strike

The three-year agreement preserves pensions and includes guaranteed raises without which Kaiser stood to lose even more therapists, resulting in even longer appointment wait times for patients.

NUHW members help lead fight to save acclaimed birthing center

With Providence (St. Joseph Health) seeking to close the birthing center at Petaluma Valley Hospital in violation of its purchase agreement, caregivers are joining forces with community leaders to save the facility.

Providence St. Joseph Health hospice workers join NUHW

Fighting to preserve their patient-first principles amid layoffs and cutbacks, the Sonoma County workers united behind the organizing drive.

Newly unionized Sutter caregivers win fight for merit raises

Sutter halted merit raises after workers voted to join NUHW, but workers stayed united, fought back and settled a complaint requiring that Sutter restore the raises with interest.

Seton professionals win long battle for better wages

After more than a year at the bargaining table, workers won 16 percent raises over three years.

Kindred workers in San Diego gain voluntary union recognition

With worker support for joining NUHW crystal clear, the hospital chain opted to recognize their union rather than to request a formal vote.

News of the Month – February 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Find out how much you’d save with Medicare for All

The Sacramento Bee recently ran a commentary about a tool designed by Healthy California Now and NUHW letting Californians calculate how much money they’d save if the state adopted a single-payer Medicare for All healthcare system. Find out how much you'd save.