HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2) — Nurses represented by the Hawaiʻi Nurses’ Association were able to avoid a three-day strike, after the union ratified a new contract with leadership of Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Hospital on Aug. 15.
An overwhelming majority of the hospital’s nurses voted in favor of ratifying their tentative agreement, which was presented to them back on Aug. 7.
This marks the end of the approximately eight month long negotiations period, and a nearly five month long period of nurses working without a contract.
The newly-ratified three-year contract went into effect immediately.
“These types of negotiations are never easy, and I praise the teams from the Hawaiʻi Nurses’ Association and from Queen’s Health Systems for working diligently to reach a tentative agreement,” ER nurse Steven Offenbaker said. “Now we must work together to provide the best patient care possible for the people of the Island of Hawaiʻi.”
Within the contract, nurses were able to see changes such as improved staffing ratios and higher wages.
“The new agreement is a positive signal that Queen’s leaders are willing to change their approach to bargaining and are beginning to take their responsibility to the community as a nonprofit healthcare organization seriously,” Rosalee Agas-Yuu, president of the union, said.