Large Turn-Out of Members Brings an 80% Yes Vote

Wilcox Negotiating Team

A special recognition goes to the team: Unit Chair and HNA RN Negotiator Chris Broussard and LRS Irene Pu'uohau along with Tracy Okamura, Tracy Majerik, Liza Desmond and Liabelle Cadiz who worked tirelessly to bring about a successful conclusion for a new three year agreement.  Other HNA representatives that participated in the bargaining were:  LRS Bruce Hom, LRS Susan French and Executive Director Patt A. Gibbs, Esq. The ratification drew a respectable eighty per cent yes vote from the eligible voting membership of 123 members. 96 Nurses turned out to cast their ballots with an 80% Yes vote.

“The employer’s goal was clearly to get a concessionary contract out of our Nurses at Wilcox Memorial, and the negotiating team fought long and hard to keep their contractual language intact,” said HNA Executive Director Patt A. Gibbs, Esq. She said the idea is not to go backwards when it comes to work rules and other contractual provisions gained in earlier contract negotiations.

Of several exchanged proposals, Gibbs said she was proud the team chose the best option for the Nurses. “There is always a hidden agenda to the financial carrot offered by Employers. What may seem like a short term bonanza can really come back as a long-term over all loss for our Nurses, and our members are too smart to fall for those tactics,” said Gibbs.

Provisions in the contract include the status quo on wages (the RN’s just received a 6% pay increase on May 31, 2009) a three year agreement beginning June 1, 2009; maintains the status quo health care plan that includes vision and dental; and maintains a provision for the parties to review and assess the Patient Classification System (PCS) within four months to make any necessary recommendations to the CEO of the hospital.

“In our 2006 bargaining session, PCS, or the issue of Nurse to Patient staffing ratios was a huge issue. In fact, it was so critical to us, it became a strike issue,” said RN Negotiator Chris Broussard. The Wilcox nurses were on strike for 126 days in 2006 because of this very issue.  He said it remains an important issue, and that removing the contractual language in the agreement that addresses PCS could have been a deal-breaker. “We want to ensure we have adequate care for our patients and that means having enough Nurses staffed for optimum coverage on the floor,” said Broussard.

Wilcox is under the management umbrella of HPH along with Kapiolani and Straub facilities. Wilcox/HPH used every tactic to try to bargain directly with the membership, which included direct mailings to the Nurses, Doctors and other staff at Wilcox while the HNA Bargaining Team was sitting at the table with the Wilcox/HPH representatives.

We are proud of our Nurse members and negotiating team for keeping their focus on the best possible contract for the Nurses during these employer tactical maneuvers. Once again, HNA Wilcox Nurses held the line!