Hawai‘i Nurses’ Association files injunction to stop lockout
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By The Maui News
WAILUKU -- The Hawai'i Nurses' Association/OPEIU Local 50 filed a new unfair labor charge against Hawai'i Pacific Health and Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday, Sept. 6, asking for an injunction to stop the hospital's lockout of their own nurses, according to a press release.
“The hospital announced the ultimatum to lock out the nurses if they do not accept the terms of their proposed contract,” a release from the Hawai’i Nurses Association said. “The lockout would be effective the day after the nurses' planned 24-hour strike on Friday, Sept. 13.”
"When will the cycle of retaliation and intimidation stop? The lockout is a blatant act of retaliation against the nurses for protesting the retaliation they faced for filing safe staffing forms. This supports why the nurses are planning to hold the one-day strike for unfair labor practices," said Rosalee Agas-Yuu, HNA president and a Kap'iolani nurse for the past 32 years. "This pattern of unfair labor practices by Kapi'olani violates the federally protected rights of workers."
"This is the seventh unfair labor practice charge filed against Kapi'olani in the past several months," Agas-Yuu said. "But the threat of a lockout for unlawful reasons is by far their most egregious violation yet. It's also morally indefensible for Kapi'olani to lock out the nurses who care for our keiki and community until nurses give in to their contract demands."
"Let's be clear that when it comes to the contract, Kapi'olani has never once said that they cannot afford any of our proposals, including additional staff for patient care or our wage proposals that barely keep up with inflation," she added. "Kapi'olani's decision to lock out local nurses is about intimidating and terrorizing the hard-working nurses."
"Hawai'i Pacific Health and Kapi'olani know they are putting the most vulnerable infants keiki and families in harm's way while pursuing this illegal and immoral lockout. It's time for our leaders to tell Hawai'i Pacific Health and Kapi'olani that this type of corporate terror is no longer welcome in our aloha state."
HNA/OPEIU Local 50 noted that as an employer, Hawai'i Pacific Health and Kapi'olani Medical Center violated the National Labor Relations Act by failing and refusing to bargain in good faith in the ongoing negotiations for a successor contract and by announcing they will lock out bargaining unit nurses for unlawful reasons.
The charge notes the lockout is unlawful because the action is intended to punish the nurses for exercising their protected right to strike in protest of Hawai'i Pacific Health and Kapi'olani's unfair labor practices. The charge also pointed out the lockout supports hospital management's ongoing interference with the nurses' rights and supports hospital management's illegitimate bargaining position.
"Hawai'i Pacific Health has revealed their true colors," Agas-Yuu added. "Their threat of an unlawful lockout has captured the attention of many in our community and across the nation. They have shined a spotlight on their own unfair labor practices for all to see."