(GREENBRAE, CALIF.) – Nearly 500 Technical and Professional MarinHealth Medical Center (MHMC) employees have announced a 24-hour Unfair Labor Practice strike starting at 7 a.m., February 18 until 6:59 a.m., February 19, 2026.

The employees voted to strike by 98% earlier this month after nearly a year of negotiations wherein MHMC has met its workers with hostility — engaging in bad-faith bargaining tactics such as canceling multiple bargaining sessions, and refusing to provide necessary, relevant, and correct information needed to understand the costs of their healthcare proposal.

Additionally, MHMC has refused to back off its outrageous proposals to increase employees’ healthcare costs up to $1000 monthly.

“The dramatic cost increase will force healthcare professionals to choose between essentials like groceries or rent and providing healthcare for their families,” said Susanna Farber, Teamsters 856 vice president and chief negotiator. “We have offered alternative healthcare plans to the hospital that would save MHMC millions of dollars, but management and the board refuse to even consider these alternatives to the incredibly expensive plans offered through United Healthcare.”

Among those who will be striking are respiratory therapists, anesthesia technicians, emergency department technicians, phlebotomists, surgical technologists, certified nursing assistants, environmental services aides, food service workers, and more.

“I’ve always felt so loyal to my employer, but it’s clear MHMC management is out-of-touch with the cost of living of everyday working people,” said Kelly Carlson, emergency room technician.  “It’s devastating to be treated like this — we want to be able to focus on providing the best patient care, not whether or not we can afford the basics,” she said.

Teamsters 856 also represents clerical unit employees at MHMC whose contract expires in April.