Union ratifies pact at Kapi'olani hospital

By Susan Hooper
Advertiser Staff Writer

Members of the Hawaii Teamsters Local 996 voted yesterday to ratify a new three-year contract with Kapi'olani Health.

The contract for the 200 union members at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children includes a 2 percent annual wage increase, retroactive to June 24, union officials said.

Union members agreed to participate in the company's paid-time-off leave plan, which had been a major stumbling block in the contract talks.

"We're very pleased that a settlement has been reached," said Pat Oda, communications director for Kapi'olani Health, the medical center's parent.

Kapi'olani officials say paid time off is a benefit program that combines vacation, holiday and sick time into one bank that employees can draw from throughout the year. The union had argued the plan would strip members of much of their sick-leave benefit — especially those with substantial accumulated leave.

Mel Kahele, president of the local union, said they agreed to the new contract terms in part because Kapi'olani added sick leave hours to the paid-time-off plan and agreed to create a 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity plan for union members.

Union members at the medical center include nurse's aides, housekeepers, cooks and other staff.

The union and Kapi'olani Health had met several times in contract talks with a federal mediator. On Aug. 28, the union notified Kapi'olani Health that members were prepared to strike Sept. 10 unless remaining issues were settled.

Teamsters at the medical center have been working without a contract since Aug. 1. Their previous three-year contract expired June 30 and was extended to July 31.