Kapi'olani nurses stage one-day strike as hospital announces lockout

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Rosalee Agas-Yuu, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association, rallies union members outside Kapi ‘olani Women’s and Children’s Medical Center today.

Hundreds of unionized nurses at Kapi ‘olani Women’s and Children’s Medical Center gathered on picket lines this morning for a planned one-day strike as hospital management vowed to lock them out unless they accept the company’s latest contract offer.

They lined Punahou Street, in front of the hospital and around the corner, holding signs that read “Zero tolerance for retaliation” and “ULP strike,” for unfair labor practices. They chanted “When we fight, we win!” while ringing bells and eliciting supportive honks from passing motorists.

This is the second strike this year by nurses, who have been working without a contract since December.

The Hawaii Nurses Association, which represents about 600 Kapi ‘Olani nurses, informed Kapi ‘Olani on September 3 of its intention to stage a one-day strike, and hospital officials responded the next day by threatening to impose a lockout if the nurses walked off the job again.

Management said all registered nurses represented by HNA whose contracts expired on November 30, 2023, would not be allowed to return to work until their offer was unconditionally accepted.

Last-minute negotiations on Thursday failed to reach an agreement, prompting HNA to continue the strike at 7 a.m. today. The two sides continue to argue mainly over the nurse-to-patient ratio and working conditions.

“Kapi ‘olani Women’s and Children’s Medical Center knows that they are the only hospital specializing in women and children and that they play a critical role in our state and the Pacific,” HNA President Rosalee Agas-Yuu said in a news release. “They know that children and families rely on their services, but hospital leaders have chosen to sideline nurses who are advocating for safe staffing standards to improve patient care.”

Kapi ‘olani Chief Operating Officer Gidget Ruscetta said the union ended negotiations early, at 3 p.m. Thursday, even though its negotiating team was prepared to stay as long as possible to reach a deal that would benefit the nurses.

From his first-floor office, Ruscetta said the strike was disappointing.

“It’s very emotional, as you can see,” she said. “There’s noise on the sidewalk and we didn’t want that to happen. We’ve been negotiating with the nurses’ union for a year. We’ve met over 30 times and we’ve gone to the federal mediator.”

She said much progress was made during Monday’s bargaining session, but Thursday’s meeting was cut short by the union. Kapi’ Olani’s bargaining team was prepared to negotiate through the night, she said, to avoid a strike and subsequent lockout.

“We’re disappointed because our goal was to reach an agreement for our nurses,” she said. “We have a generous package on the table for our nurses. We want them to benefit from it and it’s disappointing because they’re on the sidewalk and not inside the hospital taking care of our patients.”

Temporary nurses were hired this morning to cover patients, she said, and they are working in the units. Most of the nurses hired have already worked at Kapi ‘Olani.

“They are here and our patients are being taken care of,” she said.

Last week, HNA filed an injunction with the National Labor Relations Board to end the lockout, calling it an act of retaliation for the strike, but a decision from the NLRB is still pending.

The lockout officially begins at 7 a.m. Saturday.

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