The unions and Kaiser Permanente are close on a four-year total – 21.5% offered by Kaiser compared to 25% sought over four years by the unions. But the unions want nearly half of those increases – 12% – to occur in the first year.

Hundreds of health care and support workers at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City are striking today, calling for better working conditions and a new contract. Picketing began at 6 a.m. at the hospital located at 170 Alameda de las Pulgas. Nurses assistants, aides, surgical technologists, respiratory therapists, cooks and others took part in the demonstration, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 829.