Workers at Kindred Hospital Brea and Westminster in Orange County have ratified a new three-year contract with improved wages and working conditions — and no takeaways.
The road to reaching an agreement was bumpy. More than 300 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, and housekeepers held an informational picket in November 2025 and a three-day strike in January 2026 as the company’s proposals for salary increases fell short of expectations and needs. The workers remained steadfast, pushing for higher wages at the facilities, which offer long-term acute care for patients recovering from complex conditions after being discharged from hospitals.
Eventually, because the two sides remained far apart, they began negotiating with the help of a mediator. Despite these efforts, workers threatened a second strike as negotiations dragged on with no end in sight.
“After fighting for many months, the threat of a second strike put enough pressure on the employer to bring more money to the table,” said Chris Malonzo, a respiratory therapist at Kindred Hospital Westminster and part of the bargaining team. “It showed that when we stick together and support each other, we can make real improvements for everyone.”
Such improvements include:
- A minimum 9 percent wage increase for all workers, with no caps on increases as the workers are placed on the correct wage step in the hiring grid; some will see raises of up to 34 percent.
- A one-time longevity bonus in the second and third year of the contract.
- Higher extra pay for working on weekends or serving as a supervisor.
“Winning a longevity bonus for those of us with more than 10 years of service wasn’t easy, but we achieved it,” said Rosemary Vidal, an admissions associate at Brea Hospital and part of the bargaining team. “Along with improvements to differentials, this agreement delivers real gains for our members.”
The contract also aligns the expiration dates for the hospitals’ agreements, giving the workers more power as a single unit.
“This is the best Kindred-wide contract in Southern California,” said Nemone Oftana, a nursing assistant at Kindred Westminster. “Our unity and consistency paid off.”
