HONOLULU (KHON2) — Labor unions representing healthcare workers at Hawaiʻi’s Kaiser Permanente locations have delivered their 10-day strike notice to the hospital system, announcing a five-day strike.
The strike is set to begin on Oct. 14 at 6:30 a.m. and end on Oct. 19 at 7 a.m. More than 2,000 employees from Kaiser facilities across the islands including hospital aides, medical assistants, housekeeping, pharmacy techs and more will be on strike during this time.
Hawaiʻi Kaiser Permanente workers authorize strike
The labor unions, UNITE HERE Local 5 and the Hawaiʻi Nurses and Healthcare Professionals have been in negotiations with the hospital system since April, with the unions saying they are asking for a wage increase and safe staffing ratios.
“I am ready to strike because even after months of bargaining, Kaiser has not fully addressed out top concerns: safe staffing and fair wage increases,” Kaiser Kona LPN Lisa Pang said. “I take pride in doing everything I can to make sure our patients are taken care of at Kaiser, but it is insulting that Kaiser values us less than workers on the continent and frustrating when they do not provide the proper staffing needed to deliver quality patient care.”…