Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children announced Wednesday that it intends to lock out approximately 600 of its registered nurses unless the Hawaii Nurses’ Association agrees to accept and recommend its standing contract offer. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kapiolani announced the lockout a day after the union transmitted notice of its intent to stage a one-day strike from 7 a.m. on Sept. 13 until 6:59 on Sept. 14.
  • The nurses have been working without a contract since Nov. 30, 2023
  • Kapiolani said the lockout would begin as soon as HNA’s strike ends, meaning the union’s nurses will not be allowed to return to work unless the union unconditionally accepts the hospital's offer
  • According to Kapiolani, the hospital’s current offer includes across-the-board raises that would make the RNs the highest paid in the state and means of addressing ongoing staffing issues

The announcement came a day after the union transmitted a notice of its intent to stage a one-day strike from 7 a.m. on Sept. 13 until 6:59 on Sept. 14.

The nurses have been working without a contract since Nov. 30, 2023. The union staged a seven-day strike in January. The two sides have been in negotiations since September 2023.

“Repeated strikes lead to uncertainty and disrupt our ability to provide continuous high-quality care for our patients,” said Kapiolani chief operating officer Gidget Ruscetta. “This was a difficult decision and not what we wanted. But the union’s decision to strike for the second time in eight months directly impacts our patients.”

Kapiolani said the lockout would begin as soon as HNA’s strike ends, meaning the union’s nurses will not be allowed to return to work unless the union unconditionally accepts the hospital's offer.

“HNA has the power to avoid this by accepting our fair and generous offer,” Ruscetta said. “We hope the union and the nurses choose to accept our proposal.”  

Kapiolani previously stated that it had secured temporary replacements for the nurses to ensure hospital operations are not affected.

“We are not permanently replacing the registered nurses represented by HNA,” Ruscetta said. “Our decision to bring in a temporary workforce reflects our commitment to continue providing quality care during this labor dispute.” 

In addition to higher wages, the nurses are seeking solutions for ongoing staffing issues that they say have threatened patient safety. They have accused Kapiolani of retaliating against staff members who have spoken out about unsafe conditions at the facility.

According to Kapiolani, the hospital’s current offer includes across-the-board raises that would make the RNs the highest paid the state; enhanced benefits, bonuses and incentive pay; a continually updating staffing matrix that provides the ability to adjust based on the individual conditions and needs of patients; a staffing council of nursing leaders and staff nurses that would enforce the staffing matrix; and “innovative ways to provide registered nurses transparency and opportunities to participate in setting their schedules, as well as a role and a voice in the staffing process.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.