Posted on: Tuesday, January 7, 2003
Kuakini nurses closer to new deal
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Negotiators for striking nurses and the Kuakini Medical Center were close to reaching a tentative contract agreement late last night, a member of the nurses' negotiating team said.
Shortly after 9 p.m., the hospital presented the nurses with an offer that addressed the main sticking points of mandatory overtime and retirement benefits, said Hawai'i Nurses Association negotiator Claudine Tomasa.
Tomasa characterized the offer as "promising" and said she believed the two sides could reach a settlement.
"They're willing to work in some language of controlling (overtime) and not making the nurses work more than what they've been doing," Tomasa said. The nurses had complained that they were overworked, which they said jeopardized patient care and safety.
The nurses studied the offer and returned a modified proposal to management late last night.
"I feel that the momentum is here," Tomasa said at about 10:30 p.m. The two sides began negotiations at about 10 yesterday morning.
The 225 Kuakini nurses had walked off their jobs Dec. 2, the same day that nearly 600 nurses at St. Francis-Liliha went on strike. A day later, about 800 registered nurses at The Queen's Medical Center joined the picket line.
Talks between Queen's and its nurses resume this morning. No new talks are scheduled between the 370 striking nurses and St. Francis Medical Center. The two sides met last Friday.
Kuakini nurse Kerry Lineham said that if a contract agreement wasn't reached soon there would be irreparable harm done to the hospital because many nurses would not return. He said between 30 and 40 nurses have already taken jobs elsewhere.
"What are you going to be left with? That's our concern — that they're not taking us seriously," he said.
Kuakini spokeswoman Donda Spiker said the hospital's negotiating team was in constant contact with the administration. She also said the hospital did take its nurses seriously.
"We want to settle. We want to have our nurses back," Spiker said. "We look at every bargaining session as an opportunity to try and settle some of the differences and hopefully reach a settlement."
