Seachange Bulletin #120October 5, 2003Seachange Bulletin ArchivesEmail the editorSeachange Bulletin #120: Nursing Notes: Hawai’i nursing militancy has been to intensify its legislative efforts to enact innocuous proposals which fail to address the killing conditions created by the industry itself over the past ten or fifteen years while providing cover for politicians who wish to appear sympathetic to patients and nurses caught in this unsafe quagmire but who dread offending the hospital industry. State-based Centers for Nursing comprise one such example, being ardently pushed by the reactionary American Nurses Association and its constituent organizations. In several weeks the Hawai’i Nurses Association and its Collective Bargaining Organization are scheduled to meet in convention, with such issues on the table as whether to affiliate to ANA’s labor arm the United American Nurses (UAN) this year (or be forced to do so next) and whether to disaffiliate from ANA altogether. We wish these nurses well as they seek to democratize not only their workplaces but also their profession. - SE Support builds for measures to ease nursing shortage The hospital strike may have fueled new interest in a UH center B.J. Reyes, Associated Press, February 17, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/02/17/news/story5.html> For years, Hawaii nurses have lobbied for legislation establishing a state center to help recruit and keep nurses at Hawaii's hospitals. Although the proposal has not advanced out of the Legislature before, similar bills in the House and Senate appear to have support this session. Some say nursing issues have taken on a higher profile with lawmakers this year due to the strikes by about 1,400 nurses at three Honolulu hospitals that were settled just last month. "I think maybe (legislators are) more aware that we have a nursing shortage and maybe some of the problems that nurses face within their employment situation," Rep. Marilyn Lee (D, Mililani-Mililani Mauka) said. Lee is familiar with the issues: A registered nurse, she works as a nursing supervisor on weekends at Wahiawa General Hospital. It has not always been easy persuading others, said Sharyn Stephani Monet, director of education and practice with the Hawaii Nurses Association union. ... Many issues raised by striking nurses are included in legislation proposed this session. They include a bill that would set a limit on the number of consecutive hours nurses are allowed to work, scholarship proposals and a bill to grant low-interest loans to nursing students who would not have to repay the money if they work in Hawaii for five years, Monet said. Opponents argue that many of the proposals being sought by nurses over such issues as staffing and employment levels are labor-management issues that should be dealt with in collective bargaining, not in the Legislature. "Legislators really have no business stepping into the labor-management arena," said Rich Meiers, president of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, which represents all facets of the health-care industry in the state. "I think most of the legislators agree with that position." He said many of the issues being introduced this session are the same ones that have been lobbied for in past years, adding that his organization was concerned about them coming up again this Legislative session. "The strike was so bitter and so long, it really didn't serve the purpose of healing to have some of these bills come back up again this year so soon," he said. However, Meiers said the Healthcare Association and the Hawaii Nurses Association were able to compromise on the bill establishing a center for nursing, a key measure being followed by the union. The nursing center, to be located at the University of Hawaii, would conduct research to help policy-makers and the health-care industry address issues of recruitment and retention of nurses, Monet said. ... Meiers said his organization agreed to language in the bills that specified the nursing center would not address issues of staffing levels, again saying such measures should be left to collective bargaining. ... Nursing shortage demands strategy center The Legislature is considering a bill that would create a center to help recruit and keep nurses working in their field. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Editorial, February 19, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/02/19/editorial/editorials.html> Nursing crews that are understaffed have raised concerns about medical care across the country. Issues resulting from the shortage contributed to nurses' month-long strikes at three Hawaii hospitals that were settled last month. The Legislature would be foolish to meddle in those areas, but creation of a center to help recruit and keep nurses in Hawaii's hospitals could be useful. Hospitals and the nurses' union both see the need for such a center. ... One of the consequences of the shortage has been mandatory overtime, a major issue in the labor contract negotiations between the Queen's, St. Francis and Kuakini hospitals and the Hawaii Nurses Association. A few states have enacted limits on mandatory overtime, but the issue is best left on the negotiating table. In July (sic), California will become the first state to require minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, but those also may be unrealistic because of the increasing shortage of nurses. Low pay, poor working conditions and low enrollments in nursing schools are blamed mostly for the nationwide shortage. However, while the average salary for a full-time registered nurse is $46,782 nationally, salaries for RNs in Hawaii start at nearly that much and go as high as $87,000. A national nurses union survey found that half the RNs considering leaving the profession cited inadequate staffing, heavy workloads and mandatory overtime as chief reasons for their dissatisfaction. ... Bring back Operation Nightingale to cope with Hawaii’s nurse shortage Romy M. Cachola, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, February 23, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/02/23/editorial/gathering.html> I agree with the Star-Bulletin's Feb. 19 editorial, "Nursing shortage demands strategy center," which called for establishing a center for nursing at the University of Hawaii that would conduct research on how the state should address the nurses shortage. However, that proposal offers only a long-term solution. A more immediate solution - which would complement the proposed center for nursing - would be for the Legislature to re-implement Operation Nightingale, a pilot program administered by the state Department of Health that has proved successful in immediately increasing the number of licensed nurses in Hawaii. The hundreds of nurses who went on strike a few months ago complained of staffing issues - mandatory overtime, vacation and sick leave - and low morale caused by understaffed units and working conditions that required long hours and more patients than nurses could safely care for. These same conditions were rampant during the state's acute nursing shortage in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1987, I introduced and helped pass legislation that established Operation Nightingale, a review and training course that prepared foreign- and US-trained nurse graduates for written exams required by the National Council Licensure Exam For Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the state Board of Nursing. These graduates - typically nurse aides, ward clerks, licensed practical nurses, physician's secretaries or those in other nursing-related jobs - represented an untapped resource of personnel and expertise. ... Prognosis: Grim There's no cure in sight as retirement, poor working conditions and fewer graduates continue to drain Hawaii's pool of nurses Lee Catterall, Hononlulu Star-Bulletin, March 9, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/09/editorial/special.html> Contract settlements that ended strikes at three of Honolulu's major hospitals in January did not provide a cure for the chronic nurse shortage that is likely to become even more severe in the foreseeable future. The consequences are threatening for patients. Recent studies confirm that inadequate nurse-to-patient ratios result in more patient deaths. "It's very serious," said Kathleen L. Yokouchi, executive officer of the state Board of Nursing. "In the past it wasn't a global shortage. You could always get nurses from Australia or Canada, but everybody's experiencing shortages because of the fact that a lot of nurses are retiring worldwide." "It's going to get worse," said Christi Keliipio, executive director of the Hawaii Nurses Association. "This thing is not going to peak even through the year 2010," agreed Richard E. Meiers, head of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, an organization of hospitals and other medical facilities. "This may go on until the year 2020." The problem may persist even longer than that. A national shortage of nurses estimated at 126,000 is projected to exceed 800,000 by 2020. The shortage is caused, in large part, by expanded job opportunities for women and the reluctance of men to enter nursing, and is exacerbated by work conditions aggravated by the shortage itself. The shortage is reaching crisis levels nationally, and the numbers in Hawaii are even more stark. A federal survey in 2000 indicated Hawaii was among the 10 lowest states in the number of registered nurses per capita. ... Nurses need to write about joys of their jobs Jean T. Grippin, Retired nurse, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 24, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/24/editorial/letters.html> We have not recently heard from the nurses who were on strike at Queen's, Kaukini and St. Francis hospitals in December and January. During that strike the public continuously heard about poor working conditions and the unfairness of management. The letters to the editor from nurses only presented the nurses' frustrations. I would like to read about the pleasure of hearing a newborn baby's first cry, the delight in helping a cancer patient control his pain, the pleasure of helping a psychiatric patient return to her family and job and the gratification of helping a surgical patient recover. Feature stories and letters about and by nurses who find joy and satisfaction in their work would complete the picture of a nurse's job, and perhaps encourage men and women to enter the profession. Nurses' contract provides raises Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 28, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/28/business/bizbriefs.html> Registered nurses at Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific have ratified a contract that gives them a 21 percent raise over three years and an additional longevity step. The new agreement provides pay and benefits for the approximately 40 union members that are competitive with Hawaii's Big Five medical centers, according to Sue Scheider, the chief negotiator for the collective bargaining organization of the Hawaii Nurses' Association. The contract also recognizes certified rehabilitation registered nurses with experience and expertise in caring for those with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses. The Big Five hospitals are Kaiser, Queen's, Kapiolani, St. Francis and Kuakini. ... Wahiawa nurses OK strike A walkout may begin as early as May 5 Associated Press, April 15, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/04/15/business/story4.html> Nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike after they rejected a management offer. The Hawaii Nurses Association said it will issue a strike notice today if a new agreement cannot be reached. By issuing the notice, Wahiawa's 62 nurses could walk off their jobs as early as May 5. Negotiators for union and Wahiawa General are scheduled to resume contract negotiations today with the help of a federal mediator. Talks broke down on Friday. Nurses said the current raise offered by the hospital would be offset by the increases to rising health insurance costs. "In order to keep nurses here at Wahiawa, we need to remain competitive with other area hospitals in pay, benefits and working conditions," nurse Randy Pisani said. He said the hospital's offer also lacked addressing mandatory overtime, seniority and basic access to retiree medical benefits. ... Wahiawa nurses set strike date Talks between the union and Wahiawa General Hospital break down Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 16, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/04/16/business/story3.html> The union representing 66 nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital issued a 10-day strike notice yesterday after talks between the two sides broke down. Sue Scheider, director of collective bargaining for the Hawaii Nurses Association, said the hospital would not move on the offer already rejected by the nurses. The nurses presented a counter proposal to the hospital yesterday but that was not accepted, she said. "They will not move at all on their last and final offer even though it was overwhelmingly rejected by the nurses. There has been no change, even in the non-cost areas," Scheider said. With the notice given, nurses could strike as soon as April 25, but Scheider said the walk-out date would be May 5 to give the hospital time to re-consider its position. "We want to give them a chance to resolve things," Scheider said. No further talks are scheduled, but a federal mediator could call the two sides back to the table. Scheider said the major issues for the nurses are wages, health insurance, mandatory overtime, retiree medical benefits and increased safety provisions. The nurses also want longevity steps included in pay to reward nurses for continued service at the facility. Right now, a nurse with two years of experience gets paid the same as a nurse with 20 years experience, Scheider said. Nurses are paid about $28.60 per hour. ... HCC fund promotes immigrant nurses Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 28, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/04/28/news/story11.html> An endowment program is being established at Honolulu Community College to help Filipinos and other immigrants prepare for Hawaii's registered nurses licensing exam. It is called the Connie and H.H. "Hunky" Chun, M.D., Education Endowment Fund. Connie Chun is establishing the program in honor of her late husband, Dr. H.H. Chun. He felt many qualified practical nurses and nurse's aides could do work at the registered nurse level but could not pass the exam for a license because of language problems, she said. The noncredit training program will be administered by HCC but will be accessible at designated sites throughout the University of Hawaii community colleges. A memorandum of understanding was formalized during a brief ceremony Friday attended by Chun, some nurses, a Kapiolani Community College representative and HCC Provost Ramsey Pedersen. The program will be designed with advice from a project task group representing HCC, the KCC Nursing Department, University of Hawaii School of Nursing, Filipino Nurses Organization of Hawaii and Nursing Advocates and Mentors Inc. ... Negotiator (sic) to meet with nurses, hospital Honolulu, Star-Bulletin, April 30, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/04/30/business/bizbriefs.html> A federal negotiator (sic) will bring union representatives of 65 registered nurses and management of Wahiawa General Hospital back to the bargaining table today in an attempt to avert a strike called for Monday. Talks between the two sides broke down April 14 after both the nurses and the hospital rejected each other's final offer. Major issues for the nurses are wages, health insurance contributions, mandatory overtime, retiree medical benefits and safety provisions. ... Wahiawa rejects offer from nurses, talks end Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 1, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/01/business/bizbriefs.html> Talks broke off between representatives of Wahiawa Hospital and the union representing its 65 nurses last night after the hospital rejected the nurses' latest offer. A federal mediator shuttled between both sides for more than 12 hours yesterday in an attempt to get them back to the bargaining table. The nurses submitted a revised contract proposal to mangement at 9:30 p.m. yesterday and it was rejected by 10 p.m., according to the Hawaii Nurses Association. No new talks are scheduled. ... Wahiawa nurses hope to avert strike The walkout is set for tomorrow unless new talks are scheduled Helen Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 4, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/04/news/story6.html> Wahiawa General Hospital nurses were going to be working on signs and solidarity, preparing for a strike at 7 a.m. tomorrow. A rally and membership meeting was planned for the nurses from noon to 4 p.m. today at a strike headquarters established at the home of nurse Tina Fernandez at 1721 Eamis St. Hospital officials and Hawaii Employers Council negotiators couldn't be reached for comment. The nurses' negotiators waited by their telephones yesterday, hoping a meeting with management would be called before tomorrow's strike deadline. The deadline could be extended 72 hours if the hospital asks for a meeting, said Scott Foster, spokesman for the Hawaii Nurses' Association. ... Wahiawa nurses strike Health insurance hike is main beef of Wahiawa Hospital nurses Rosemarie Bernardo & Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 5, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/05/news/story2.html> More than 60 nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital went on strike at 7 a.m. today. Contract talks between the Hawaii Nurses Association and the hospital reached an impasse on Wednesday, and there have been no negotiations since. A recent hike in employee health insurance contributions is the major sticking point for nurses, said Randy Pisani, a recovery room nurse and member of the negotiating team. Walking the picket line, Pisani said monthly contributions for family coverage were hiked from $74.48 to $147.18 for full-time nurses March 1 and from $138 to $215 for part-timers. Half the Wahiawa nursing staff is part-time, said Pisani. To make matters worse, said fellow picketer Cora Soriano, the hospital didn't warn workers about the jump. "For most of the nurses it's the medical, it went up 100 percent," said Soriano, who has been at Wahiawa for 9 years. And the increases were a surprise in their paychecks, she said. ... No new talks set for nurses strike Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 6, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/06/business/bizbriefs.html> No new talks between the Hawaii Nurses Association and Wahiawa General Hospital have been scheduled since more than 60 nurses employed at the hospital went on strike at 7 a.m. yesterday. Richard Aea, the hospital's human resources manager, said the hospital had not heard yesterday from the federal mediator who has been trying to bring the two sides together. "It feels like a cooling off period. We are just waiting to hear from the mediator so we're on hold now," Aea said. The hospital remains open with outpatient, emergency and limited inpatient services. Elective surgeries have either been re-scheduled or canceled, Aea said. "We are admitting on a limited basis, but it doesn't mean we are closed," he said. Patients are being cared for by nursing supervisors and personnel from ancillary services, Aea said. ... No new talks in nurses strike Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 8, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/08/business/bizbriefs.html> With no new talks scheduled, more than 60 registered nurses who have been on strike since Monday continued picketing today at Wahiawa General Hospital. Hospital officials and representatives from the Hawaii Nurses Association met with a federal mediator April 30. A nurse proposal was rejected by the hospital at that time, HNA representatives said. With the mediator out of town this week, no new talks have been scheduled. Wahiawa officials said that business continues as usual at the hospital, although elective surgeries have been postponed or canceled. Hospital should try hard to avert strike Arvid Tadao Youngquist, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 8, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/08/editorial/letters.html> The piece in the Sunday paper brought back memories of the recent nurses' strike at several major local hospitals ("Wahiawa nurses hope to avert strike," Star-Bulletin, May 4). Replacement nurses were brought into Honolulu from places as far afield as Georgia and Texas. They were paid more than the nurses on staff and were provided with lodging, meals and transportation. After the strike was settled, three major hospitals were stuck with the bills they accrued during the negotiations and settlements. The Legislature then was asked to approve bills and resolutions to provide these hospitals with unrelated assistance. This, in effect, would have been a way for the hospitals to pay for those replacement nurses. I realize Wahiawa General Hospital's long-range plans are strained through failure in the Legislature this year. Their appeal to the City and County of Honolulu for zoning and other considerations are pending. This is not a time for the hospital to refuse to negotiate. Before more nurses retire or resign to seek greener pastures, management would be well advised to extend the contract amicably. Striking nurses agree to new talks Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 12, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/12/news/story8.html> Striking nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital are scheduled to return to the bargaining table Wednesday night in an effort to end the week-long walkout, the Hawaii Nurses Association said in a media release yesterday. The release said the federal mediator contacted HNA Collective Bargaining Director Sue Scheider late yesterday afternoon to arrange another round of negotiations. Scheider is in contract negotiations at Kauai's Wilcox Hospital until Wednesday and is rearranging her negotiation and travel schedules for the two sides to meet Wednesday night. Union spokesman Scott Foster also said that 19 of the striking nurses have found jobs elsewhere. Three of the 19 have submitted their resignations to the hospital, he said. Some of the 19 nurses are part-time workers, and it was not known if they plan on leaving Wahiawa, Foster said. Yesterday, as a Mother's Day gift, husbands and children of the striking nurses joined the picket line as a show of support. ... Wahiawa hospital nixes nurses' proposal Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 15, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/15/business/bizbriefs.html> Wahiawa General Hospital rejected the latest proposal from the union representing its striking nurses last night after talks with a federal mediator. No new talks are scheduled. The hospital has offered nurses up to a 19 percent pay raise over three years, but would increase payments for health care, which nurses say undermines the wage increase. Nurses also want access to retiree health benefits and have asked for increased pay to reward long-time employees. They also want the hospital to eliminate situations where a single registered nurse would be left alone to care for patients, according to the Hawaii Nurses Association. ... No progress in nurses strike at Wahiawa Hospital The union complains to the National Labor Relations Board Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 29, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/05/29/business/story2.html> Registered nurses from Wahiawa General Hospital, who have been on strike since May 5, met yesterday to plan their next move as contract talks remain stalled. The meeting at the Wahiawa home of a striking nurse was the first time in two weeks that nurses have gotten together off the picket line. The last time the nurses gathered was May 14, when a federal mediator called the nurses and hospital representatives together to see if there had been a change in position by either side. During that meeting, the hospital re-submitted a proposal that had already been rejected by the nurses and no progress was made. The hospital rejected two subsequent proposals from the nurses. ... Wahiawa nurses strike hits 1 month Neither side has reported any progress toward agreeing on a contract Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 5, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/05/business/story1.html> It's now one month since more than 60 registered nurses who work at Wahiawa General Hospital hit the picket line after being unable to reach a new contract. The hospital has stuck with an offer of a 19 percent pay increase over three years. But the nurses say the hospital failed to cover key elements, such as access to retiree benefits, increased pay to reward long-time employees and safety concerns related to staffing. The two sides have been so far apart that all discussions have been convened by a federal mediator. The dispute has also upset Wahiawa residents. One group, a collection of Wahiawa senior citizens groups, was planning a mid-afternoon rally for today at the hospital. ... Dr. Edmund Whang, chairman of the hospital's board, is acting hospital administrator at the facility while the hospital negotiates to hire Nashville, Tenn.-based Symphony Healthcare to run its day-to-day operations. The hospital had been managed by another Nashville company, Quorum Health Resources LLC, a subsidiary of Quorum Health Group, the nation's largest hospital management company. ... Support for Wahiawa nurses Fl Morris, fmorris@starbulletin.com, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 8, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/08/news/briefs.html> Photo: A rally and picnic was held yesterday at Fred Wright Park in Wahiawa for Wahiawa General Hospital nurses, who are heading into their sixth week of a strike. Cindy Guerin, right, a Wahiawa Hospital nurse and negotiator, strolled around the rally wearing a strike placard. Unemployment benefits approved for Kuakini, Queen's nurses Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 21, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/21/business/bizbriefs.html> About 1,000 registered nurses from Kuakini and The Queen's medical centers who went on strike for more than six weeks last winter are eligible for unemployment benefits, their union said yesterday. The ruling comes from the Special Activities Unit of the Hawaii Unemployment Insurance Division after months of fact-finding and deliberation. The status of unemployment claims for the nurses from St. Francis Medical Center, who went on strike from Dec. 2 to Jan. 19, is still unresolved. ... Wahiawa nurses’ strike continues as talks stall Associated Press, June 22, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/22/news/story14.html> Negotiations for 60 registered nurses who have been on strike at Wahiawa General Hospital for more than seven weeks have once again reached a stalemate. The nurses met with management Thursday, but no agreement was reached, according to the Hawaii Nurses Association. Ella Siroskey, communications coordinator for the striking nurses, said all but six of the striking nurses have found part- or full-time jobs elsewhere. "So far we have been holding on, hoping we will be able to return to care for the community we love, with a contract that will keep nurses here," Siroskey said in a statement. Management has offered the nurses a 19 percent pay raise over three years. But the nurses say the offer does not address retiree benefits, increased pay to reward longtime employees and safety concerns related to staffing. ... Wahiawa hires traveling nurses Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 25, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/25/business/story4.html> Wahiawa General Hospital has hired traveling nurses from the mainland to replace some registered nurses who have been on strike for more than seven weeks. Human Resources Director Richard Aea said that between six and eight nurses will start work today. The replacement nurses will allow the hospital to open up more medical/surgical beds, Aea said. "We are open with about 10 beds now and have patients in them. But we are looking at going up to 15," he said. The facility normally operates 27 medical/surgical beds, Aea said. Aea would not say how much the hospital is spending to bring in the nurses. ... Nurses, Wahiawa to resume talks today Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 3, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/03/business/bizbriefs.html> Contract talks were scheduled to resume today between Wahiawa General Hospital and the union representing 60 striking registered nurses. A federal mediator called both sides to meet at the Hawaii Employers Council offices in Mapunapuna, said Scott Foster, a spokesman for the Hawaii Nurses Association. ... Mediator to enter Maui nurse talks Gary T. Kubota, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 3, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/03/business/story4.html> Wailuku - A federal mediator will step into negotiations involving some 30 registered nurses at a medical care facility on Maui starting Wednesday. Nurses at the nonprofit Hale Makua have been negotiating for about three weeks, and a federal mediator was called in after both sides remained far apart in labor talks, said Claudine Tomasa, chief negotiator for the Hawaii Nurses Association's collective bargaining organization. But Tomasa said negotiations have not reached an impasse and are still moving along. She said nurses want an hourly wage competitive with other medical facilities such as Kaiser Permanente. Tomasa said the top hourly wage for nurses is $24.66 at Hale Makua and about $31 at Kaiser. Hale Makua provides long-term care for patients as well as other services, including skilled nursing care and home health care. Tomasa said before practicing nursing in medical facilities in Hawaii, registered nurses are required to have at least a two-year associate of science degree and to pass the state Board of Nursing exam. ... Hale Makua, nurses reach tentative deal Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 11, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/11/news/briefs.html> Wailuku - The union representing registered nurses at Hale Makua on Maui has tentatively agreed to a three-year contract that includes a 16 percent wage increase. The Hawaii Nurses Association, representing 31 Hale Makua nurses, reached a tentative deal on Wednesday, the first day of talks arranged by federal mediator Carol Catanzariti. The contract for the nurses at Hale Makua's skilled nursing and long-term care facilities at Kahului and its Home Health Care Unit serving all of Maui expired June 30. Hale Makua provides services to about 500 clients. The top hourly wage for nurses is $24.66 at Hale Makua. A ratification vote was not immediately scheduled. Wahiawa talks resume Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 12, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/12/business/bizbriefs.html> Wahiawa General Hospital's striking nurses and management returned to the bargaining table again last night to try and reach agreement on the latest proposal submitted by the nurses. Talks began at 5 p.m. at the Hawaii Employers Council and continued at press time. The two sides were called together by the federal mediator. The nurses have been on strike since May 5. "We are hopeful that movement will finally be made after the 10 weeks the strike has lasted so far. The nurses are looking very intently at how management will respond since most of us are trying to decide whether to take permanent jobs elsewhere," said Cindy Guerin, one of the nurse negotiators. ... Wahiawa nurses strike drags on Negotiators go back to the table Tuesday in the 11-week walkout Helen Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 13, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/13/news/story4.html> Negotiations will resume at 9 a.m. Tuesday between Wahiawa General Hospital management and striking nurses after the latest talks failed to resolve disagreements. They met more than 14 hours, from 5 p.m. Friday to about 7 a.m. yesterday, exchanging and discussing proposals. The nurses were prepared to continue talks until reaching a tentative agreement but hospital administrators asked that they reconvene Tuesday, the Hawaii Nurses' Association reported. Sue Scheider, director of the association's Collective Bargaining Organization and chief negotiator, said, "The hospital's Board of Directors has become more directly involved and we hope this is a positive sign. The ball is now in their court." The strike will move into its 11th week tomorrow, she pointed out, "and with each passing day more of Wahiawa General Hospital's registered nurses gain other permanent employment elsewhere." Scott Foster, spokesman for the nurses' association, said all but five of the 60 striking nurses have full-time or part-time jobs at other hospitals. ... Wahiawa talks set for today Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 15, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/15/business/bizbriefs.html> Negotiations were scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. today between Wahiawa General Hospital management and striking nurses. The two sides met Friday at the Hawaii Employers Council but no agreement was reached after more than 14 hours of discussion and negotiation. The hospital asked to reconvene the meeting today, according to the Hawaii Nurses Association, which represents the more than 60 nurses who have been on strike for 11 weeks. Scott Foster, spokesman for the union, said all but five of the 60 striking nurses have found full-time or part-time jobs at other hospitals. Wahiawa Hospital, nurses reach deal Nurses could return to work Sunday after striking since May 5 Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 16, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/16/news/story5.html> After 11 weeks on the picket line, striking nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital and management reached agreement last night on a contract. More than 60 nurses from the facility have been on strike since May 5, and could return to their jobs as soon as Sunday. "We're very excited, although we won't know how many of us will be returning since so many of us have taken positions at other hospitals," said intensive care nurse Ella Siroskey. The three-year deal includes a 19 percent raise over the term, as well as a $1-an-hour longevity step for nurses with 10 years of service at Wahiawa. "We were able to preserve the health insurance premiums at the current rates throughout the entire contract," said Sue Scheider, director of collective bargaining for the Hawaii Nurses Association. In addition, the contract includes improved language on working conditions, health and safety issues, and mandatory overtime, Scheider said. However, the pact leaves open-ended the question of hospital funding for nurse pensions, she said. The two sides agreed to discuss the issue over the coming months. If no agreement is reached by April, the contract can be reopened on that issue, Scheider said, and the deal's no-strike clause lifted. An arbitrator could also be used to help reach agreement. ... Wahiawa nurses continue talks Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 17, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/17/business/story2.html> With a tentative contract agreement reached on Tuesday night, striking nurses and Wahiawa General Hospital management representatives returned to the bargaining table last night to hammer out a back-to-work agreement. The two sides were scheduled to begin talks at 9 p.m. "There are still multiple issues left to resolve in the back-to-work agreement that could indeed delay or prevent resolution," Sue Scheider, director of collective bargaining for the Hawaii Nurses Association, said on Tuesday. The three-year contract includes a 19 percent raise over the term, as well as a $1-an-hour longevity step for nurses with 10 years of service. An issue still left open is hospital funding of nurse pensions. The two sides agreed to discuss the issue in the coming months. If no agreement is reached by April, the contract can be reopened and the deal's no-strike clause lifted. The union said it hoped to present the contract to the full membership today if a return-to-work agreement is reached. Nurses OK new contract The Wahiawa pact includes a 19 percent raise over three years Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 18, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/18/business/story3.html> Striking nurses from Wahiawa General Hospital yesterday unanimously approved a new three-year contract after the hospital and the Hawaii Nurses' Association reached a tentative agreement Tuesday night. The deal includes a 19 percent raise over the term as well as a $1-an-hour longevity step for nurses with 10 years of service. The vote ended at 9 p.m. yesterday. Unknown is how many of the 60 nurses will return to work tomorrow. As the 11-week strike dragged on, the union said a number of nurses found jobs at other facilities. ... Maui nurses ratify new contract Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 18, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/07/18/business/bizbriefs.html> The 31 registered nurses at Hale Makua health care facilities on Maui have ratified a new three-year contract, the union announced yesterday. The contract for the nurses at Hale Makua's skilled nursing and long-term care facilities at Kahului and its Home Health Care Unit serving all of Maui expired June 30. The settlement improves wages by 15 percent over the next three years and maintains the current health insurance coverage agreements. ... Nurses and bus drivers should count blessings Alan Kim, Aiea, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 10, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/08/10/editorial/letters.html> It saddens me to see nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital on strike for more than a month. Now we are on the verge of our bus drivers going on strike. It saddens me even more to hear them say, "We don't want to strike, but we have to." How selfish and spoiled can people get? I recently went to Thailand and saw how many people work in impossible conditions and make little money. In Thailand they don't have retirement benefits, or medical or dental insurance. They just work and get paid. The nurses at Wahiawa General Hospital and the Honolulu bus drivers should be thankful they have jobs. Nurses ratify contract in 'Ewa Honolulu Advertiser, August 13, 2003 <http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Aug/13/ln/ln35a.html> The 137 registered nurses at St. Francis Medical Center-West overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract yesterday. The nurses and management at the facility on Fort Weaver Road reached a tentative contract agreement Thursday that was similar to a deal that covers nurses at St. Francis in Liliha. The contract calls for wage increases of 19.5 percent over three years, with longevity pay of $1 an hour for nurses with seven years of service and $2 for nurses with 15 years at the hospital. St. Francis West nurses ratify Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 14, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/08/14/business/bizbriefs.html> Registered nurses at St. Francis West hospital yesterday ratified their tentative contract reached Aug. 7. The contract provides for a total wage increase of 19.5 percent with longevity increases of $1 and $2 an hour for nurses with 7 and 15 years service. The contract also calls for implementation of a defined benefit pension plan, improved contract language to address staffing issues and continued medical coverage. Tough economy lengthens time to reach deals in isle labor talks Lyn Danninger & Richard Borreca, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 15, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/15/news/story3.html> Tougher economic times and uncertainty about the future are dictating a new style of local labor negotiations characterized by protracted talks and more intense rhetoric. "(Negotiations) take longer and are more difficult," said Claude Matsumoto, vice president of negotiation service for the Hawaii Employers Council, which represents many local employers at the bargaining table. In the latest example, striking Teamsters and TheBus manager Oahu Transit Services Inc. have both taken to the airwaves with ads designed to make their case to the public, even as contract talks drag into their fourth week. The two sides have not met at all since Wednesday. In spite of it all, Matsumoto said the success rate for negotiations locally is still high. "In the vast majority of cases, they're able to reach amicable solutions, and that is the bottom line," he said. Of three recent contract settlements, negotiations between the Hawaii Newspaper Guild and the owner of the Honolulu Advertiser, Gannett Co., took the longest at more than a year. The union achieved a 5 1/2 percent salary increase over the five-year contract, said Wayne Cahill, the guild's administrative officer. ... HNA asks court to force union into arbitration Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 17, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/17/business/story1.html> The Hawaii Nurses Association filed a petition in state Circuit Court yesterday requesting that HNA's collective bargaining organization be ordered to participate in arbitration. The Hawaii Nurses Association is the professional organization representing nurses, while the union side handles all salary and benefit negotiations on behalf of the nurses with employers. HNA said in the petition that the union has refused arbitration over various financial and budgetary issues that have arisen between the two sides. According to HNA's petition, the union is required under HNA articles of incorporation to participate in arbitration. HNA said it notified the union of that obligation. Officials at HNA could not be reached for comment about the petition, which comes days after the union filed a lawsuit against HNA in federal District Court alleging HNA officials failed to adequately manage and account for union dues collected from its members and have interfered with union decisions. The union also is asking the court to declare that it is autonomous in decision making and financial matters. Sue Scheider, collective bargaining organization director, said the union had been expecting the petition from HNA. "It follows on the heels of our previous response to them that these issues they raised are not properly subject to arbitration under our governing documents," Scheider said. "The appropriate place to resolve the dispute is in federal court because federal labor law applies." Nurses union in internal dispute Curtis Lum, Honolulu Advertiser, September 19, 2003 <http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Sep/19/ln/ln31a.html> An apparent power struggle has flared between members of the Hawai'i Nurses Association and its collective bargaining division. Last week, the Collective Bargaining Organization of the Hawai'i Nurses Association filed a federal lawsuit against its parent group, Hawai'i Nurses Association, claiming fiscal mismanagement. Tuesday, HNA filed a petition in state Circuit Court seeking an order to require CBO to meet before an arbitrator to resolve their financial and budgetary disputes. The CBO was created by HNA in 1979 to represent more than 3,600 nurses in collective bargaining matters, and each entity is represented by a separate board. HNA provides services to elevate the standards of the nursing profession. The federal lawsuit alleges that dues collected by CBO and turned over to the parent group have been mismanaged. The lawsuit also says that HNA has failed to file financial reports and audits. Among the allegations, the lawsuit accuses Maureen McCarthy, fiscal officer at HNA for 15 years, of authorizing a $20,000 check for herself when she retired. The lawsuit also said HNA's acting executive director, Stephani Monet, used an HNA credit card to pay for personal items in excess of $2,000. The CBO seeks an order that would force HNA to turn over money collected by the union to CBO, and to refrain from management over CBO money. The lawsuit also seeks to establish the Collective Bargaining Organization as an autonomous entity, separate from the HNA. The CBO lawsuit was filed on behalf of the organization by T. Anthony Gill and Wade Zukeran. But in its petition, the HNA accuses CBO directors of planning to "drastically and unilaterally change the financial procedures and policies" of CBO, which the petition says CBO has no authority to do. The complaint also said CBO members "illegally" changed locks to the HNA fiscal office. "The CBO has simply hijacked the HNA accounting office and refused to provide HNA with a key to its own office," the complaint said. HNA officials said that their articles of incorporation require that the two sides meet in arbitration to resolve financial and budgetary disputes. But the complaint said CBO has refused to do so. The petition was filed on behalf of HNA by Margery Bronster, Cynthia Quinn and Erika Ireland. Bill Richter, a nurse at The Queen's Medical Center and member of CBO's board, denied HNA's allegations and said that CBO's bylaws allow for the organization to be an autonomous group. Richter said CBO wants to manage its own money because HNA has failed to do an adequate job. Richter said the problems surfaced during the nurses' strike at Queen's, St. Francis and Kuakini hospitals. In December, nearly 1,400 nurses walked off their jobs for more than a month, and the strikes were characterized by often-bitter negotiations. "During the strike, it became evident that the resources that many of the CBO members had provided by virtue of their dues wasn't available for the activities and the actions that they rightly deserved during the strike," Richter said. After the labor disputes were resolved, CBO began to look into the HNA's finances and met with resistance from HNA officials, Richter said. "When we did get information, it wasn't very representative of what the financial situation should be," he said. HNA officials could not be reached for comment. Rx for Hawaii’s shortage of nurses Grace Blodgett, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 30, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/30/editorial/commentary.html> In hospitals all over Hawaii, there is a silent crisis brewing. It is a problem that may go undetected by the average citizen - but not for long. In large and small hospitals throughout the islands, there is a critical shortage of registered nurses. It is a problem not just in Hawaii, but on the mainland as well. And it is a problem that will worsen unless some bold steps are taken in the near future. Consider these alarming statistics: According to a recent Healthcare Association of Hawaii report on trends in nursing, more than 40 percent of Hawaii's nursing work force is over age 50, and three-quarters are over 40. Half of our state's nurses will retire in the next 15 years, and there will be a massive struggle to find replacements. That is because 400 Hawaii nurses are retiring annually, but only 280 new nurses graduate. ... Let's address the reasons behind the shortage. First, the working conditions are difficult in many health-care facilities due to chronic understaffing. This forces nurses to do more with less help, resulting in their ever-present concern for patient safety. As fewer nurses enter the field, there are more challenges in the workplace - which is precisely what drives nurses away from the profession in the first place. ... Health facilities ask court who should care for union dues Lyn Danninger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 2, 2003 <http://starbulletin.com/2003/10/02/business/story4.html> Ten local health care facilities filed a request last week in US District Court asking the court to determine who should be paid union dues collected from the registered nurses they employ. Both Hawaii Nurses Association, the professional organization representing registered nurses, and the collective bargaining organization, which handles salary and benefit negotiations for the nurses, sent letters to the facilities in September indicating dues should be paid directly to them at different post office boxes. Currently, both groups share one office where the dues have been sent. The facilities requesting the court ruling are Queen's Medical Center, Kaiser Foundation Hospital and Health Plan, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Kauai Medical Group, Kuakini Medical Center, Kuakini Geriatric Care, St. Francis Medical Center, St. Francis Medical Center-West, Straub Clinic and Hospital and Wilcox Memorial Hospital. The court filing is called an "interpleader," said Barry Marr, the attorney representing the hospitals. "It's a fairly unusual procedure," he said. "The hospitals don't dispute they owe the money. Rather, it's a mechanism to pay the money to the court and they hold it until it's determined who the proper payee is," he said. HNA and the collective bargaining organization are embroiled in lawsuits with one another in a dispute over financial management. The union is asking the court to terminate its financial association with HNA, which had handled all money coming in for both groups. HNA maintains the collective bargaining organization is not an autonomous body. The union dues collected from members are used to fund both groups. Nurses pay a flat rate per month for their union dues. In the case of registered nurses, that amount is about $43 per month, said Sue Scheider, chief negotiator for the union. Scheider said she does not know when a hearing will be scheduled about the hospitals' request. Meanwhile, another hearing relating to the two lawsuits is scheduled for Oct. 10 in federal District Court, she said. Web Directory: AARN <http://www.aarn.org> Australian Nursing Federation <http://www.anf.org.au> California Nurses Association <http://www.calnurse.org> Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions <http://www.nursesunions.ca> CCDS <http://www.cofc.org> Committee for Health Care for Massachusetts <http://www.healthcareformass.org> Irish Nurses Organisation <http://www.ino.ie> Labor Party <http://www.thelaborparty.org> LabourStart <http://www.labourstart.org> Maine State Nurses Association <http://www.mainenurse.org> Massachusetts Ad Hoc Committee <http://www.massadhoc.org> Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party <http://www.green-rainbow.org> Massachusetts Nurses Association <http://www.massnurses.org> MASS-CARE <http://www.masscare.org> New York Professional Nurses Union <http://www.nypnu.org> New Zealand Nurses Organisation <http://www.nzno.org.nz> PASNAP <http://www.pennanurses.org> PNHP <http://www.pnhp.org> Québec Nurses’ Federation <http://www.fiiq.qc.ca> Revolution Magazine <http://www.revolutionmag.com> Saint Louis Area Nurses Coalition <http://www.slanc.org> Seachange Bulletin <http://www.seachangebulletin.org> Southern Arizona Nurses Coalition <http://SAZNC.homestead.com> Union Web Services <http://www.unionwebservices.com> Women’s Universal Health Initiative <http://www.WUHI.org> FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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