Deal could be near for Kauai nurses
Wilcox officials and union members are set to meet today
LIHUE » For the first time since the Kauai nurses strike began in late June, both sides said yesterday they believe a deal is possible today.
Administrators from Wilcox Hospital and striking nurses from the Hawaii Nurses Association will meet at Wilcox at 1 p.m. today to try to negotiate an end to the 18-week-long strike.
It is the first time since the strike began that nurses and administrators have talked at the hospital, behind the picket lines, said hospital spokeswoman Lani Yukimura.
"Hopefully, this will be the last meeting," she said. Negotiators "will be working hard to reach an agreement" today.
And the two groups are ready for a marathon session, to stay at the table for as long as it takes to get a deal done, Yukimura added.
Aggie Pigao Cadiz, executive director for the nurses union, agreed.
"The points (of contention) are still there, but they're at a point where (the two sides) feel they can really talk to each other and negotiate," Cadiz said.
The main issue has been staffing. The union has said there are not enough registered nurses on shifts to ensure proper patient care, while Wilcox administrators say there are enough registered and licensed practical nurses and nurse's aides to provide care. Also at issue are the on-call procedures for operating room nurses.
But Cadiz and Yukimura said yesterday that a meeting between the two sides last week has left both sides extremely optimistic.
If a deal is struck tomorrow, nurses will vote on the new proposal Thursday, Cadiz said, adding that she hopes Kauai residents will help out as well.
"At five after 1 p.m., everybody just think positive thoughts," she added.