Honolulu police arrest 10 demonstrators outside Kapi‘olani hospital
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators, including recently elected state representative Kim Coco Iwamoto, seen here, outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators, including Democrat candidate for state House Ikaika Hussey, seen here, outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Demonstrators are seen outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, today, as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Demonstrators are seen outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, today, as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators, including recently elected state representative Kim Coco Iwamoto, seen here, outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Honolulu police arrested several demonstrators, including Democrat candidate for state House Ikaika Hussey, seen here, outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Demonstrators are seen outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, today, as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA Demonstrators are seen outside Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, today, as they protested the lockout of about 600 unionized nurses by hospital management.
Honolulu police arrested 10 demonstrators this morning as they called for an immediate end to the lockout of about 600 Kapi 'olani Medical Center for Women & Children union nurses.
Those arrested outside the hospital included recently elected state representative Kim Coco Iwamoto, Democrat candidate for state House Ikaika Hussey, and Jim Witeck of the Hawaii Workers Center.
Officers arrested the 10 for allegedly blocking a bus filled with replacement travel nurses from entering the hospital. The arrested demonstrators were seen sitting down and linking arms before the roundabout driveway, blocking entry for two charter buses.
Today marks the 10th day since Kapi 'olani management has prohibited the union nurses from returning to work until the Hawaii Nurses' Association unconditionally accepts management's latest contract offer.
"Our demonstrations are drawing growing attention to this important issue, " HNA President Rosalee Agas-Yuu said in a news release. "Today, we saw community leaders stepping forward to express their concerns about the hospital's lockout of the nurses and willing to be arrested because of the adverse impact this is having on Hawaii patients and their families. Their peaceful act of peaceful civil disobedience showed their solidarity with the nurses, calling for the hospital to end its lockout of the nurses and to restore quality care for keiki and women."
Kapi 'olani Chief Operating Officer Gidget Ruscetta said in a statement, "We respect the right for peaceful protesting, but any demonstration cannot negatively impact patient care. Access to our medical center must remain open for our community. We will rely on the Honolulu Police Department to take appropriate action."
A large crowd of union nurses gathered at 6 a.m. in front of Kapi 'olani Medical Center to hold a demonstration against management's lockout that was to last three hours.
The nurses, who say they are fighting for safe staffing ratios for patients, chanted, "Scabs Go Home !" and "No Justice, No Peace " as two charter buses eventually proceeded straight down Bingham Street instead of turning into the driveway.
Kapi 'olani said as of 8 :33 a.m. today, the temporary nurses were unable to access the center.
HNA said in a news release that the community members sat down before normal business hours to minimize the impact on patients, and that there were travel nurses with patients from the previous shift.
HNA and Kapi 'olani are scheduled to resume talks for a fifth straight day today at 10 a.m.
Both parties had met for several hours Sunday and had collaborative discussions about staffing, Ruscetta said in an earlier statement 133 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our.
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