Negotiations between representatives of the striking Hawaii Nurses Association and Kuakini Medical Center went for nearly nine hours last night before breaking off shortly before 5 a.m. with no settlement reached. Nurses and Kuakini
fail to reach agreementBy Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.comHospital management presented a settlement offer to the union, which nurses' representatives countered.
The nurses proposed smaller wage increases at the beginning of the contract with an additional longevity increase for nurses with 20 years service in the first two years. The union's proposal also addressed its major priorities -- staffing issues and mandatory overtime -- said HNA spokesman Scott Foster.
Kuakini spokeswoman Donda Spiker could not say whether any new talks between the two sides had been scheduled. She added, "We're disappointed that we weren't able to reach a settlement. We miss our nurses."
No new talks have been scheduled at either of the other two hospitals affected by the strike: Queen's and St. Francis medical centers.
Meanwhile, there were 314 new unemployment claims filed by employees of the three hospitals for the week ending Dec. 14, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Research and Statistics Office. A department representative could not say how many were filed by striking nurses.
Nearly 1,400 nurses at the three hospitals have been on strike since the beginning of the month.
The union has organized a march for tomorrow, billing it as a rally in support of safe staffing levels in the hospitals. It will begin at St. Francis at 8 a.m. Striking nurses and their supporters will pass Kuakini and Queen's on their way to a rally at Thomas Square, scheduled for 11 a.m.
Other local union supporters are expected to attend the rally, Foster said.
St. Francis Healthcare System
Queen's Medical Center
Kuakini Health System