HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – For the second time in two years, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children is dealing with striking health care workers as labor negotiations strain the industry.
About 300 union workers walked off the job Friday morning with no set end date while a five-day walkout continued at Kaiser Permanente facilities in Hawaii and on the mainland.
“We’ll be out here at 24/7. We’ve got three shifts running seven days a week, and we’ll be here until we get that deal done,” said Kevin Holu, president of Teamsters Local 996.
Contract dispute centers on wages
The Teamsters represent workers in various roles from direct patient care to housekeeping. Their contract expired at the end of June with wages the primary issue in negotiations.
“We’ve been in bargaining for the past few months and unfortunately, we came to this point where we have to come out here and do this,” Holu said.
Kapiolani Medical Center said it has temporary workers in place to continue all patient care. The hospital gave striking workers a 4% raise and bonus in their paycheck Friday to demonstrate its willingness to increase compensation.
“We heard them at the table, and that is why we took the steps, prior to the strike, to make sure that they had a paycheck that was larger than what they had seen,” said Gidget Ruscetta, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children COO.
Union calls wage increase unfair bargaining tactic
The union criticized the unilateral wage increase as an unfair bargaining tactic, arguing wages should be set by contract negotiations.
“It’s shame. It’s actually shameful on them to even think that such increases they’re giving right now, because we’re out here on strike, is actually going to get these people back to work,” Holu said.
Ruscetta said the hospital remains committed to negotiations despite that reaction from the union.
“Well, it’s disappointing, of course, and we want to continue to move forward and negotiate with the Teamsters union. We have a very generous offer on the table with benefits,” she said.
Kaiser workers continue separate strike
Kaiser Permanente nurses and other professionals were joined by Teamsters at the Kaiser Honolulu office. A mainland union leader encouraged workers on the line at Moanalua Medical Center.
“It’s been incredible to see all of the unions coming together, to see the community, to see the patient blocking lines with us wherever we’re at. We’re standing up,” said Charmaine Morales, president of UNAC/UHCP, representing 250 pharmacists, therapists and nurse anesthetists at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.
Kaiser and its unions will return to the bargaining table next week.
Hospitals coordinate to maintain patient care
Healthcare experts said hospitals will work together to fill gaps caused by the strikes.
“We have the ability to work together, to flex staff, to flex resources, to make sure that when patients show up, they do get the care they need,” said Healthcare Association of Hawaii CEO Hilton Raethel.
The real challenge for hospitals is finding money to cover rising costs, as they cannot continually return to insurers for more funding.
Previous coverage
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.