Nurses at Wilox Medical Center consider going on strike to protest unfair labor practices

The nurses of Wilcox Medical Center on Kaua‘i are considering a strike to protest unfair labor practices.

The Hawai‘i Nurses Association, which represents the Wilcox nurses, began negotiations with Wilcox Medical Center on May 6. Their contract expired on Aug. 31.

“Safe staffing ratios continue to be a challenge at Wilcox, but hospital management has not come to the table in good faith with an open mind to make this a priority and our negotiations have not progressed,” said Dianna Rodriguez, who has been a nurse at Wilcox for the past six years.

Wilcox Medical Center is part of Hawai‘i Pacific Health and sister hospital of Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu. The Kaua‘i facility has an 18-bed emergency department, four birthing suites, seven intensive care beds and 20 same-day surgery beds.

According to a press release from the Hawai‘i Nurses Association, the strike authorization voting period for the 159-member nursing team began Sunday and will continue through Wednesday at 8 p.m.

“We believe Hawai‘i Pacific Health should extend the same support to its Wilcox Medical Center nurses to ensure Kaua‘i residents have access to quality care,” said Rosalee Agas-Yuu, HNA president. “We hope fairness will prevail because unlike those in Honolulu, patients on Kaua‘i have fewer options when they need care. They don’t have the luxury of choosing to go to another hospital. Our goal is to avoid disruptions in care for Kaua‘i’s patients.”

Kapi‘olani Medical Center’s 600 nurses reached a new three-year contract earlier this year after more than a year of negotiations, two strikes and an 18-day lockout. Their contract became effective on Oct. 2 and continues through Oct. 1, 2027.

“We believe Hawai‘i Pacific Health should bargain in good faith over whether to extend the same support to its Wilcox Medical Center nurses to ensure Kaua‘i residents have access to quality care,” said Quyen Rockwell, a Wilcox nurse for the past 16 years.

In July, Wilcox nurses held an informational picket to show their support for the nurses of Kapi‘olani Medical Center and The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl and West O‘ahu campuses and to bring attention to the urgent need to address patient safety concerns in the hospitals.

According to a statement from Wilcox Medical Center, officials have gone through 22  bargaining sessions, which included the recent involvement of a federal mediator.

“We have been dedicated to reaching an agreement with our nurses,” the release stated. “They are a valuable part of our Wilcox team, and we will continue to negotiate in good faith with the Hawai‘i Nurses’ Association. We will wait for the voting results and remain focused on serving our patients and their families on Kaua‘i.”