More than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers across California are hitting the picket line Tuesday, as a five-day strike begins.

Workers with the United Nurses Associations of California / Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) walked off the job beginning at 7 a.m. amid a dispute over staffing, pay and patient care. The union said the walkout is the largest strike in its history.

Along with nurses, the union represents pharmacists, nurse practitioners, midwifes, physician assistants, rehab therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians and other specialty healthcare workers.

In Southern California, picket lines were scheduled to take place at hospitals and medical offices in Bakersfield, Los Angeles County, Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Die

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