Public hospital nurses in Hawaii have rejected a proposal for 5 percent pay cuts, saying they are already significantly underpaid compared to nurses in the private healthcare sector, according to a KITV4 report.
On Monday, the nurses in Hawaii Government Employees Association's bargaining unit nine rejected a contract that called for 5 percent wage cuts and no step pay increases for experienced nurses. The proposed cuts follow two years of wage reductions for public hospital employees.
The nurses say the lower pay may hurt recruitment efforts by state medical facilities and endanger patient care as providers seek jobs at better-paying private hospitals. They add low salaries mean the state must often call in expensive agency help to offset staffing shortages. David Russell, director of cardiovascular services at Maui Memorial Medical Center, a state medical facility that staffs around 900 nurses, predicts 100 of the hospital's nurses will leave to pursue higher-paying jobs if the cut goes into effect.
The Hawaii Government Employees Association will return to the bargaining table with Hawaii Health Systems Corporation following the rejection.
Read the KITV4 report on nursing wage cuts in Hawaii.
Related Articles on Nurse Wages:
Tufts Nurses Plan Strike for May 6
RNs at Massachusetts' St. Vincent Hospital to Hold One-Day Strike
18 Statistics on Registered Nurse Bonuses
On Monday, the nurses in Hawaii Government Employees Association's bargaining unit nine rejected a contract that called for 5 percent wage cuts and no step pay increases for experienced nurses. The proposed cuts follow two years of wage reductions for public hospital employees.
The nurses say the lower pay may hurt recruitment efforts by state medical facilities and endanger patient care as providers seek jobs at better-paying private hospitals. They add low salaries mean the state must often call in expensive agency help to offset staffing shortages. David Russell, director of cardiovascular services at Maui Memorial Medical Center, a state medical facility that staffs around 900 nurses, predicts 100 of the hospital's nurses will leave to pursue higher-paying jobs if the cut goes into effect.
The Hawaii Government Employees Association will return to the bargaining table with Hawaii Health Systems Corporation following the rejection.
Read the KITV4 report on nursing wage cuts in Hawaii.
Related Articles on Nurse Wages:
Tufts Nurses Plan Strike for May 6
RNs at Massachusetts' St. Vincent Hospital to Hold One-Day Strike
18 Statistics on Registered Nurse Bonuses