Hospital strike ends after nearly two months | News, Sports, Jobs

Publish date: 2024-05-04

Maui Memorial Outpatient Clinic licensed practical nurse Shauna Gomes (right) gives negotiating committee member Kiley Kuailani a hug during Friday evening’s post-strike celebration at the AFSCME UPW Local 646 Maui office in Wailuku. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

An overwhelming majority of United Public Workers members voted in favor of ratifying a three-year contract with Maui Health, putting an end to a nearly two-month strike at three hospitals in Maui County on Friday afternoon.

“They are pleased with what we got and we know that this is only the beginning,” said strike captain Leonard Rodrigues Jr., who works in maintenance at Maui Memorial Medical Center. “We know what we are worth, and we will continue fighting.”

Rodrigues said that the union will continue to ensure that wages for members are competitive and that they are treated fairly.

Members had argued that some of them were receiving lower pay than new hires, while others sought longevity pay and also an end to some workers doing 16-hour shifts two to three days in a row.

UPW represents nearly 500 members, which include nurse’s aides, respiratory therapists, licensed practical nurses, housekeepers, cooks and others who work at Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital. They have been on strike since Feb. 22 and are scheduled to go back to work Sunday.

Picket signs that show some wear are stacked at the union office Friday evening.

Maui Health and the union had reached tentative agreements shortly before the strike and during the strike in late March, but union members had voted to reject them until the latest offer, which came about after a full day of negotiations Tuesday.

Approved by 87 percent of voting members, the new contract includes pay-scale adjustments for all job classifications, at least a 10.5 percent wage increase for all members and a lump sum payment for all members, among other benefits, the union said in a news release.

“The new contract represents months of hard work and determination and is reflective of the sacrifices our members have made during the strike,” UPW State Director Kalani Werner said. “Our members labored through the pandemic and have had to continue to endure staffing shortages, so while this is a step in the right direction, there is still work to be done. We will do everything we can to ensure future contracts provide adequate pay increases, fair working conditions, and demonstrate the importance of our members.”

Voting took place Thursday and Friday, with 237 members voting in favor and 35 voting no, UPW said.

“Nothing makes us happier than to have our team back together and whole again,” Maui Health Interim Chief Executive Officer Kerry Watson said in a statement Friday afternoon. “We are sincerely grateful to both bargaining committees, our own team and the UPW team, for working countless hours over the last ten months to achieve a fair and equitable agreement for our employees.”

Cardiac Telemetry Tehnician Myla McNabb snaps a selfie with fellow union members Friday in Wailuku. “It’s bittersweet because we enjoyed it so much being outside, not working inside,” McNabb said. “A lot of these people I did not know before. We built friendships and relationships that are closer and stronger now. We’re happy we did it.”

“There are really no words to express our gratitude for our team of employees and providers,” Watson added. “Despite the mountain of challenges they’ve faced through COVID and the past almost eight weeks of the strike, they worked tirelessly to ensure our patients receive safe, quality and compassionate care.”

On Friday evening, union members held a post-strike celebration at the union’s office in Wailuku.

“It’s bittersweet because we enjoyed it so much being outside, not working inside,” Cardiac Telemetry Technician Myla McNabb said as she snapped photos with fellow workers. “A lot of these people I did not know before. We built friendships and relationships that are closer and stronger now. We’re happy we did it.”

She said the hospital bet against working class folks who live paycheck to paycheck and lost, adding it was difficult to not have money in her pockets.

“Fifty-two days is a long time,” McNabb said.

Maintenance Department staffer Rowell Sim, who was greeting fellow union members at Friday evening’s post-strike celebration, said, “It was a humbling experience. You walk every day, but you don’t get paid.”

Rodrigues said that during the strike, some union members had to find second jobs to make ends meet, including one union member who is also a mother and a college student who had to look for new work in the meantime.

Rodrigues chuckled when asked how he was able to financially make it through the nearly two-month strike. He said he is “blessed with a lot of family … just being prepared as much as I could be.” He said he was “at wit’s end” but added “I’m not going to give up.”

Rodrigues thanked public officials, including Maui County Council members, who came out to support them, as well as the community.

“Just appreciated and blessed that all the love and affection and the support, it keeps me in awe, it humbles me,” he said.

Both Werner and Watson also thanked the community for its support and understanding.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. also applauded the agreement Friday, saying it was a concern for the whole community.

“I want to thank federal mediator Herman Brown, Kalani Werner and his team at UPW, and Kerry Watson and the team at Maui Health for their efforts to reach a settlement,” Bissen said in a statement on Friday evening. “They and the many others behind the scenes who assisted have worked very hard to get to this crucial point. Important not as a hospital or union issue but truly as a community issue. Healthcare is critical to our residents and our visitors.”

* Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com. Matthew Thayer also contributed to this report.

Picket signs that show some wear are stacked at the union office Friday evening. Maui Memorial Outpatient Clinic licensed practical nurse Shauna Gomes (right) gives negotiating committee member Kiley Kuailani a hug during Friday evening’s post-strike celebration at the AFSCME UPW Local 646 Maui office in Wailuku. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos Cardiac Telemetry Tehnician Myla McNabb snaps a selfie with fellow union members Friday in Wailuku. “It’s bittersweet because we enjoyed it so much being outside, not working inside,” McNabb said. “A lot of these people I did not know before. We built friendships and relationships that are closer and stronger now. We’re happy we did it.”

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