Queen’s labor
deal reached

It comes 2 days
before the deadline

By Peter Wagner
Star-Bulletin

Queen's Medical Center and the Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement, two days before a strike deadline.

Negotiators could not be reached for details but both sides confirmed a tentative agreement was reached yesterday.

"Both negotiation committees agreed wholeheartedly to support the ratification by union members," said Queen's spokesman Karen Winpenny.

Union spokesman Peter Sturges said a membership meeting has been called for tonight at Kapalama School to discuss the proposal.

Union and hospital negotiators had been meeting daily since the strike was authorized Dec. 2.

The union represents about 650 "blue collar" workers at Queen's, including telephone operators, psychiatric assistants, laundry workers, registered nurses, food service workers, housekeepers, and maintenance workers. Negotiations for a new three-year contract began in April with a tentative agreement reached in October. But union members rejected the contract proposal, citing rising medical plan costs and other concerns.

Negotiations were reopened but reached an impasse Nov. 21. A 10-day strike notice was given last week. Queen's several weeks ago sought temporary workers in the event of a strike, drawing about 1,200 applicants.