No deal: Hundreds of health workers in Maui County reject latest contract offer

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hundreds of health care workers in Maui County have rejected Maui Health’s latest contract offer.

Members of the United Nations say the proposed agreement does not compensate workers at market rates.

“They just keep fighting. They don’t want to give up. It’s the whole David and Goliath thing. They want to succeed; they want to show what our value is and what our value is,” said Maui Medical Center maintenance worker Leonard Rodriguez Jr.

Wednesday marks one month since nearly 500 health care workers on Maui and Lanai walked off the hospital floor and onto the picket line.

They include nurses, assistants, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, cooks and others at Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital.

They say they won’t start until they get an offer from Maui Health, which they think is fair.

Maui Health’s latest offer includes a three-year contract, an 8.9% raise in the first year, a $1,500 cash bonus, an additional bonus of $1,000 for employees 15 years and older, and $500 for employees ages 7 to 14. was service In addition, rotational work is optional.

Rodriguez said UPW members feel it’s still not a living wage.

“The rate they gave us, which is 8.9, it still keeps us below the market wage. We can’t do that. We should have a livable wage here,” Rodriguez said.

“We want to make sure local hands take care of our local people, not people who don’t understand the culture.” UPW officials say it was the largest turnout in the election and “a large number of members voted.”

The union says Maui Health appears to be paying enough for traveling employees, but not offering the same wages to local families who serve their community.

In a statement, Maui health officials described the process as “chaotic” and “disruptive and stressful for the Maui health care community, including the more than 100 United Public Employees Employees who have chosen to go to work.”

“They said UPW leaders had mounted a ‘very negative campaign’ against them.”

“After four tentative agreements with the UPW trade committee, it’s unclear where the contract talks will go. We continue to seek common ground and try to reach an agreement in good faith with the UPW. But that doesn’t mean we necessarily We will continue to improve our economic offerings,” Maui Health officials said.

They will return to the pay table on Thursday.

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