Kuakini management, nurses resume talks

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Staff Writer

Striking nurses at Kuakini Medical Center last night went back to the bargaining table with management in an effort to break a deadlock that has kept them off the job for nearly three weeks. There were no new talks scheduled, however, at two other hospitals where nurses also are on strike.

The two sides at Kuakini last met Monday, when the Hawai'i Nurses' Association asked Kuakini to consider changes to the hospital's last offer.

No negotiations have been held at St. Francis Medical Center since the strike began Dec. 1.

At The Queen's Medical Center, talks broke off early Tuesday morning, but several nurses decided to take their case directly to hospital board of directors yesterday. Four nurses drove to the homes of most of the board's 38 members to deliver a letter, said Queen's nurse Elizabeth Clavin.

"The intention was to open up a line of communication directly from the staff nurses to the board," Calvin said. About 300 nurses signed the letter.

Nearly 1,400 nurses at the three medical centers have walked off the job in a dispute that they say focuses on staffing levels, paid time off, retirement benefits and salaries.

Nurses plan to begin a march at 8 a.m. tomorrow from St. Francis to Kuakini and Queen's and arrive at Thomas Square by 11 a.m. where a two-hour rally is planned.

Correction: Striking nurses plan to march tomorrow. The date of the march was incorrect in a previous version of this story.