Nurses at Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital have voted to ratify a new contract, averting a possible strike at the Waimea facility.
Daniel Ross, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association, which represents about 80 nurses at the hospital, said Tuesday the majority of members voted Saturday to approve the latest contract package offered by Queen’s Health Systems. The nurses had been working without a contract since April 1.
The new contract provides an 18% wage increase over a three-year period, a 10% increase in the first year of the contract, according to Ross.
“While this still does not bring parity with Queen’s nurses on Oahu, it is a substantial increase and goes far to close the gap,” Ross said. “We are hopeful that it will aid in recruitment of desperately needed nurses to North Hawaii.”
To help with retention, nurses will receive an additional $1 per hour after five years of service, and an additional $2 per hour after 10 years, he said.
The contract also increased pay differentials for nurses working on the evening shift and night shift, and for those who work on a call-in basis and as charge nurses. In addition, the employer matching for the 401(k) also increased from 3% to 4.5%.
The vote to ratify came just weeks after nurses panned another proposal from Queen’s and two days before the union and health care provider were slated to enter mediation.
Nurses held an information picket April 20 to raise awareness to staffing issues and the fact that nurses at the Waimea hospital earned less than their Oahu counterparts.
The Queen’s Health Systems had not responded to an afterhours email seeking comment as of press-time.