HONOLULU (KHON2) — About 600 nurses represented by the Hawaii Nurses’ Affiliation/OPEIU Native 50 have launched a one-day unfair labor observe (ULP) strike at Kapiolani Medical Heart in Honolulu.
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Nurses are specializing in wages, staffing ratios and concern of retaliation however the hospital mentioned it offered a beneficiant contract provide.
The Chief Operations Officer of Kapiolani informed KHON2 that they’ve been negotiating a brand new nurses contract for the final yr and proposed a three-year deal on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Kapiolani Medical Center nurses to strike despite threat of lockout
“Which might put our nurses at $133,000 – $160,000 a yr for a three-day workweek,” mentioned Kapiolani Medical Heart for Girls & Youngsters chief operations officer Gidget Ruscetta.
Nurses mentioned it isn’t in regards to the cash.
“It’s all about security,” mentioned Meredith Evenson, a Kapiolani Useful resource Workforce registered nurse. “They often attempt to give us an increasing number of sufferers and we inform them like, “‘We are able to’t present good high quality care operating round as is.’”
“Generally being on the ground and taking as much as eight sufferers at a time. New moms, new infants.”
Meredith Evenson, Kapiolani Useful resource Workforce registered nurse
The Healthcare Affiliation of Hawaii spoke to KHON2 about common hospital insurance policies and mentioned nurse-to-patient ratios are usually not set in stone and should be adjusted by managers based mostly on demand.
“Some sufferers are being admitted, sufferers are being discharged. There’s a continuing motion of sufferers. They might be moved from an ICU to a med-surge unit,” mentioned HAH government director Hilton Raethel.
One other large concern is concern of retaliation — the hospital COO mentioned she encourages of us to return ahead with their issues, however KHON2 heard issues from nurses that it isn’t at all times really easy.
Journey nurse Justin Riney was coaching non permanent substitute nurses, however mentioned he was fired on Friday after he stopped by the picket line to greet pals on a break. He discovered about his termination after he went again to his unit and spoke to his supervisor.
“She let me know that they’d safety footage of me coming outdoors twice with my, my duck scrub cap on, the duck symbolizes the nurses right here! They usually mentioned that they have been terminating me due to it, ending my contract efficient instantly,” Riney mentioned, “like I’m some legal!”
Riney mentioned he knowledgeable the nurse who he was coaching that he can be taking a five-minute break, however the hospital mentioned by means of an announcement:
“A contracted nurse, who was not a part of the non permanent workforce, twice deserted their put up throughout work hours. This particular person didn’t inform the cost nurse that they have been leaving earlier than strolling off responsibility. Kapi‘olani knowledgeable the company, which is the employer of the person, that the employee twice left their put up with out discover. The company has suspended the clinician pending additional investigation.”
Gidget Ruscetta, Kapiolani Medical Heart for Girls & Youngsters
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The strike began on Friday, however the hospital-imposed lockout — the place HNA nurses won’t be allowed to clock in to work — begins on Saturday, Aug. 14.
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