Union activity in hospitals and health systems started off strong in 2026 with at least 17 petitions for unionization, strikes, contract deals and other developments in the healthcare workforce.
Here are 17 updates on labor movements in healthcare in the last month, as reported by Becker’s:
1. Advanced practice providers at Boston-based Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board seeking to vote on whether to unionize Jan. 29.
2. Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers began a three-day strike Jan. 27 at Kindred Hospitals in Brea and Westminster, Calif. The union represents 155 workers at Kindred Hospital Brea and 160 workers at Kindred Hospital Westminster, including nurses, nursing assistants, housekeepers and respiratory therapists.
3. Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals began an open-ended strike Jan. 26 at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California and Hawaii, affecting 31,000 front-line registered nurses and healthcare professionals.
4. Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals ratified a new labor contract with San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare Jan. 23.
5. Members of Teamsters Local 760 began an open-ended strike Jan. 17 at MultiCare Yakima (Wash.) Memorial Hospital.
6. Members of Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania at Geisinger Lewistown (Pa.) Hospital approved a new labor contract Jan. 15.
7. Registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, N.Y., voted to unionize Jan. 15. The hospital is part of Centralus Health.
8. Hundreds of nurses represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania approved a new three-year agreement with UPMC Altoona (Pa.) Jan. 15.
9. Support staff at Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Vt., voted Jan. 14 to retain their union, United Nurses & Allied Professionals, in place following a decertification petition.
10. Members of the Michigan Nurses Association ratified a new labor contract with Aspirus Ironwood Hospital.
11. Nearly 15,000 nurses across four New York City hospitals began an open-ended strike on Jan. 12. The New York State Nurses Association delivered strike notices to 12 hospitals, later rescinding them at eight after reaching tentative agreements. The strike involves nurses at Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System and NewYork-Presbyterian.
12. Members of SEIU‑United Healthcare Workers West reached a tentative labor contract with KPC Health at six hospitals across Southern California. The agreement averted a five‑day strike that was scheduled to begin Jan. 12.
13. Nurses at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, N.M., voted to join the Communications Workers of America in District 7.
14. Registered nurses at three Healthcare Systems of America hospitals in South Florida called off planned one-day strikes after reaching a new labor contract, the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United. The strikes were originally scheduled for Jan. 9.
15. Nurses at Portland-based Maine Medical Center approved a three-year labor contract Jan. 8.
16. Nurses at seven safety-net hospitals in New York City withdrew 10-day strike notices after reaching tentative agreements on key contract provisions.
17. Healthcare workers across Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and its affiliated facilities voted to join SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, forming a new bargaining unit following an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.
