Striking nurses dispute rural 'standard'

By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer

Recent contract agreements at two other rural Hawai'i hospitals bolster the case of striking nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital for improved benefits, a union official said yesterday.

"That was one of the arguments that the employers had, that there should be a different standard applied to Wahiawa than to the 'town' hospitals because (Wahiawa is) out in the country," said Sue Scheider, collective bargaining director for the Hawai'i Nurses' Association.

But Scheider points to newly ratified contracts at Wilcox Memorial Hospital on Kaua'i and Kahuku Community Hospital, both considered rural hospitals.

Nurses at Wilcox received a 22 percent raise over three years, while nurses at Kahuku got a one-year contract with an 8 percent wage increase, she said.

Both contracts also include improvements in benefits for education, healthcare and other areas, Scheider said.

But Wahiawa General spokes-man Richard Aea said the issues involved among the three hospitals are different.

"Wilcox is part of the Kapi'olani Healthcare System, so my assumption, not being at the table, was normally if you're the mother company, all your subsidiaries would normally get the same benefits because they're trying to roll everything into one system," Aea said. "So the 'country' issue is not an issue with Wilcox."

As for the Kahuku contract, Aea disputed the union's statement that nurses there received an 8 percent raise. He said Kahuku nurses took a 6 percent increase because they wanted additional benefits.

"So it's the same situation with us," Aea said. "We have offered a higher percentage at 19 percent (pay raises), but ... if they (the nurses) wanted more on the benefits side, we offered another package, which was 15 (percent)."

The number of striking nurses was at 69 when the walkout began May 5, but has since decreased to about 55 because some nurses have resigned or are on temporary disability insurance, said striking registered nurse Ella Siroskey.

Of the striking nurses that remain, 43 have found part-time, full-time or call-in jobs elsewhere, Siroskey said

"We hope that the hospital will realize that all of these nurses are working other places and they're not going to be able to call them back in if they don't settle very soon," Scheider said. "They really are putting the community at risk."

But Aea said the hospital was managing fine and that "patient care has not been compromised in any manner."

Along with nurse managers who have filled in for strikers, Aea said the hospital has several registered nurses; four who have crossed the picket line to return to work and three who aren't covered by the nurses union.

"The emergency room, the long-term-care (unit) and the outpatient services are fully operational," Aea said. "Elective surgeries are still deferred right now."

The union and hospital management last met for negotiations with a federal mediator May 14.

The talks ended about 20 minutes after the union presented a contract proposal that the hospital said was beyond its means.