Nurses could strike May 5

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The 65 registered nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital will walk off their jobs on May 5 if they are not able to reach a contract settlement, a union official said.

The nurses yesterday presented hospital management with a 10-day strike notice as required by law.

But the union added another 10 days to the notice to allow more time to reach a settlement.

"We're really trying to find another way to reach a resolution rather than go out on strike, but there has to be some movement in order to do that," said Sue Scheider, collective bargaining director for the Hawai'i Nurses Association.

The two sides met for about six hours yesterday with a federal mediator at the Hawai'i Employers Council without progress. Scheider characterized the negotiations as "very far apart" and no new talks are scheduled.

Hospital officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Scheider said the major issues include wages, health insurance, mandatory overtime and access to retiree medical benefits.

The 162-bed hospital is the only 24-hour primary and emergency care medical facility between 'Ewa and Kahuku.