HONOLULU (KHON2) — Labor unions representing healthcare workers at Hawaiʻi’s Kaiser Permanente locations have delivered their 10-day strike notice to the hospital system, announcing a five-day strike.
The strike is set to begin on Oct. 14 at 6:30 a.m. and end on Oct. 19 at 7 a.m. More than 2,000 employees from Kaiser facilities across the islands including hospital aides, medical assistants, housekeeping, pharmacy techs and more will be on strike during this time.
The labor unions, UNITE HERE Local 5 and the Hawaiʻi Nurses and Healthcare Professionals have been in negotiations with the hospital system since April, with the unions saying they are asking for a wage increase and safe staffing ratios.
“I am ready to strike because even after months of bargaining, Kaiser has not fully addressed out top concerns: safe staffing and fair wage increases,” Kaiser Kona LPN Lisa Pang said. “I take pride in doing everything I can to make sure our patients are taken care of at Kaiser, but it is insulting that Kaiser values us less than workers on the continent and frustrating when they do not provide the proper staffing needed to deliver quality patient care.”
The unions say that Hawaiʻi Kaiser employees make up to 30% less than their mainland counterparts performing the same duties.
A strike was originally authorized on Sept. 22, with 97% of workers from one of the union voting in favor of the strike. The workers’ contracts expired on Sept. 30.
In a statement when workers were initially looking to strike, Kaiser Permanente issued a statement reassuring their intent to bargain in good faith with the labor unions.
“Kaiser Permanente has a proud history of working collaboratively with labor unions. We employ the largest number of union-represented health care workers in the country and work with over 40 unions,” the statement said. “We offer competitive wages, industry-leading benefits and meaningful career development opportunities. We are proud that about 92% of our employees represented by the Alliance choose to stay with Kaiser Permanente, well above the national health care average.”