Mediator to assist in Kaiser nurse talks

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kaiser Foundation Hospital, one of the "big five" hospitals negotiating with 2,500 nurses on a new contract, will have a federal mediator involved in its next negotiations on Wednesday, Kaiser officials said yesterday.

Negotiators from Kaiser and the Hawai'i Nurses Association met at 8 a.m. Wednesday and broke off talks at 4 a.m. Thursday, said Kaiser spokesman Chris Pablo.

"It was a marathon session," he said. "Because of where we were, both sides felt that we need the assistance of a federal mediator to move us along."

After next week's negotiations, talks between the nurses union and Kaiser are scheduled to resume Nov. 27.

Representatives from the other four hospitals — The Queen's Medical Center, Kapi'olani Medical Center, Kuakini Medical Center and St. Francis Medical Center — all said yesterday that they had no plans to call in a federal mediator.

Officials from the nurses union, who were planning on negotiating through the weekend with some of the hospitals, could not be reached for comment.

Kaiser nurses are scheduled to vote tomorrow and Monday on whether to authorize a strike. Queen's nurses will vote on Tuesday, followed by a Wednesday vote by nurses from Kuakini, St. Francis and Kapi'olani.

The nurses' three-year contract expires Nov. 30.

Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.