DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Tina Fernandez brought out some strike signs during a strategy session for striking nurses at her home in Wahiawa yesterday. Nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital have been on strike since May 5.
No progress
in nurses strike at
Wahiawa HospitalThe union complains to the
National Labor Relations Board
Registered nurses from Wahiawa General Hospital, who have been on strike since May 5, met yesterday to plan their next move as contract talks remain stalled.
The meeting at the Wahiawa home of a striking nurse was the first time in two weeks that nurses have gotten together off the picket line.
The last time the nurses gathered was May 14, when a federal mediator called the nurses and hospital representatives together to see if there had been a change in position by either side. During that meeting, the hospital re-submitted a proposal that had already been rejected by the nurses and no progress was made. The hospital rejected two subsequent proposals from the nurses.
No talks have been scheduled since then, although the federal mediator called both sides yesterday to see if there had been any movement, said Sue Scheider, director of collective bargaining for the Hawaii Nurses Association.
"I did get a call from the mediator today. She is indicating the hospital has no change in its position and she asked if there was any change in ours. But after today's meeting, it's clear the nurses are firmly committed to the position we have taken so far," Scheider said.
Scheider said the nurses have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. "They are still investigating to determine whether there is probable cause that Wahiawa violated federal labor law in terms of bad faith bargaining, or other unfair labor practices," she said.
A hospital spokesman could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The hospital's contract offer includes up to a 19 percent pay raise over three years. But proposed increases in health insurance premiums would undermine the wage increase, nurses say.
Nurses also want access to retiree health benefits and have asked for increased pay to reward long-time employees. They also want the hospital to eliminate situations where a single registered nurse would be left alone to care for patients.
Nurses predicted that the hospital's failure to offer a competitive package would likely trigger resignations. Already a number of the nurses have taken part-time positions at other facilities within the community. Picketing at the facility has been reduced to accommodate nurses who have taken on part-time work elsewhere, the union said.
Elsewhere, agreements have been reached between nurses and two other other rural hospitals, Scheider said. Last Thursday, HNA concluded a one-year contract on behalf of registered nurses with Kahuku Hospital that will match the first-year wage increase of 8 percent reached with other area hospitals earlier this year. Scheider said the contract will also improve education and health benefits, improve a night shift pay differential and provide retention bonuses and increases for long-time employees.
On Kauai, Wilcox Memorial Hospital and its registered and licensed practical nurses also reached agreement. Nurses have already ratified a three-year agreement for more than 150 nurses. The contract includes a 22 percent increase for registered nurses.
