HONOLULU (KHON2) — Nurses at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children have decided to proceed with their planned strike on Friday, Sept. 13, following another day of unsuccessful negotiations ended around 3 p.m. Thursday.
The strike is organized by the Hawaii Nurses’ Association (HNA) OPEIU Local 50, which is protesting what it describes as retaliation and bullying by the hospital for reporting unsafe staffing conditions.
Despite the hospital’s threat to impose an indefinite lockout starting Saturday, Sept. 14, which would prevent the 600 striking nurses from returning to work, the nurses remain committed to prioritizing patient safety over job security.
HNA President Rosalee Agas-Yuu criticized the hospital’s stance, saying, “This is a sad day for Hawaii. Kapiolani Medical Center knows it is the only specialty hospital for women and children in the state and the Pacific.
Yet, the hospital’s leaders have chosen to lock out the nurses for advocating for safe staffing standards to improve patient care.”
Agas-Yuu accused the hospital of forcing the nurses to accept contract terms unconditionally or face the lockout.
She stated that the hospital’s actions aim to silence the nurses and undermine their efforts to address patient safety concerns.
“The lockout is by choice,” Agas-Yuu added. “Hawaii Pacific Health has over $1.4 billion in assets and has never said they cannot afford to increase nurse staffing levels. Instead of reaching an agreement, the hospital is spending resources on travel nurses, who lack the experience and cultural competence of the local Kapiolani nurses.”
The hospital has yet to respond to the latest developments.