Queen’s, nurses Queen's Medical Center and nurses reached a tentative agreement this morning, but it is by no means certain that striking nurses will ratify the new offer.
reach deal
Some nurses say they are
unhappy with the agreement
so its ratification is not certain
By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.comThe two sides reconvened at about 1:30 p.m. yesterday, reaching agreement at around 6:45 this morning, according to union negotiator Bill Richter.
Details of the proposed contract include a 21 percent salary increase over three years, additional compensation for long-term nurse employees at five, 10 and 15 years of employment, language that would ensure the hospital calls for volunteers or uses staff from an outside nursing agency before resorting to mandatory overtime and a subsidy for retiree medical benefits.
No date has been set for a ratification vote or a possible return to work, Richter said.
The new agreement is not exactly what the union had initially proposed, but patient safety concerns were addressed, Richter said.
"I think there were aspects we certainly like and certain aspects we were forced into by the nature of the negotiations," he said.
Union negotiators did not make as much headway as they would have liked regarding the issue of paid time off, the hospital plan to combine a portion of sick leave with vacation. Although they did make some headway on getting some medical situations excluded from the paid time off bank, Richter said.
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kuakini nurses reached a tentative agreement after six weeks on strike. From left, Myrna Saldevar, Leimomi Fukuda, Ellie Dulay, Sheila Wells and Pattie Vatalaro wore signs to thank supporters yesterday. They will remain on the picket line until the agreement is ratified.
For example, nurses who require hospitalization or have to undergo surgery would be able to access sick days in the extended sick leave bank of hours rather than having to use the combination of sick and vacation days first.
Some nurses picketing at Queen's Medical Center this morning said they are disappointed with the tentative contract settlement.
"I hope everybody will not vote for this," said Eliza Cachola, a 16-year employee of Queen's, who works with stroke patients.
"I feel like they (Queen's) really demoralized and treated us like we were not being respected. We walked for seven weeks and didn't get any change."
The nurses who spoke with the Star-Bulletin this morning said they strongly object to a paid time-off provision in the proposed contract, requiring them to use vacation time for sick leave.
"If we're hurt on the job, to use vacation, it's so unfair," said Cachola, pointing out that nurses in her unit do a lot of lifting and are "breaking their backs."
Richter said a number of proposals crossed the table during the course of negotiations. "I lost track; we basically went back and forth all night long. I would imagine at least four or five rounds," he said.
Queen's officials said they were pleased to have reached agreement with the union.
"We're pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached and we're hopeful the nurses ratify it and return to work very soon," said Queen's spokeswoman Lynn Kenton.
Kani Wilson, an orthopedic nurse for 12 years who was walking the picket lines this morning, was excited at the prospect of returning work.
"I'm hoping for the best, a quick settlement so things can go back to business as usual," she said.
Jody Enter, neurosurgical nurse for one year, said, "I can't wait to go back to work and start making money again." She said she's gotten by because "I have a great husband, who is working extra."
Kuakini Medical Center and its nurses reached a tentative three-year agreement yesterday that will be put to a ratification vote later in the week.
That agreement was the first since strikes began at Queen's, Kuakini and St. Francis hospitals more than a month ago.
Major points in the Kuakini settlement included a 20-percent salary increase over three years, stronger language addressing the elimination of mandatory overtime and when the hospital would turn to an outside staffing agency to fill vacant positions.
The deal also modifies the hospital's plan to eliminate its 36/48-hour two-week work period. The plan would leave the 36 hours in place for the first week and cut the second week to 40 hours, eliminating the need for overtime in the second week.
Kuakini had planned to hire additional nurses to cover the lost work time in the second week, but nurses worried the hospital would have difficulty hiring enough nurses to fill the positions. Under the agreement, the plan will be phased in more gradually, said union negotiator Kerry Lineham.
The nurses also got an improvement in retiree health benefits. Retirees will now get the same medical plan as active employees, although retirees will not be included in the same group plan, something the nurses originally wanted. Instead, nurses who are close to retiring will receive an additional $1 an hour for the first two years of the contract. The nurses could then put the extra money toward saving for their retiree medical plan, said Sue Scheider, chief negotiator for the union's collective bargaining unit.
Kuakini spokeswoman Donda Spiker said the hospital was pleased to have reached a tentative agreement.
"We do hope the nurses will respond favorably to the tentative agreement," she said. "We look forward to our nurses coming back to work."
But getting the nurses back to work will take some planning.
Because the hospital consolidated some services during the strike, nurses will need to be phased back into hospital operations.
Kuakini must also complete its commitment to the contract nurses hired during the strike, Spiker said.
Kuakini and HNA officials will meet with the federal mediator today to work out the terms for the nurses' return to work, she said.
Meanwhile, at St. Francis Medical Center, there are no plans to return to the bargaining table. The two sides last met Friday.
Star-Bulletin reporter Helen Altonn contributed to this report.
St. Francis Healthcare System
Queen's Medical Center
Kuakini Health System
