Members of the Hawaii Teamsters Local 996 plan to strike Oct. 17 at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, KHON reported.
The union represents technicians, housekeeping, dietary employees and other workers at the hospital, the local said, according to the TV station. Kapiolani, part of Honolulu-based HawaII Pacific Health, has more than 1,500 employees and 630 physicians total.
“Despite repeated attempts at negotiation, management has failed to respond meaningfully to our proposals or address the serious concerns affecting patient care and worker well-being,” the union said, according to KHON. “We did not arrive at this decision lightly. … We believe the public deserves quality healthcare, and that cannot be sustained unless staff are treated as professionals and partners.”
In a statement shared with Becker’s, Kapiolani COO Gidget Ruscetta, RN, expressed disappointment in the union’s decision.
“Providing excellent care for our community remains our focus,” Ms. Ruscetta added. “As a highly specialized medical center, Kapiolani plans and prepares for a wide range of situations to ensure continuous care for Hawaii’s women and children. We want to reassure our patients and the community that our programs and services will not be interrupted. We continue to work toward reaching an agreement soon.”
