Ten people arrested outside hospital in Hawaii as labor dispute over nurses escalates

HONOLULU (AP) — Ten people, including a recently elected state representative, were arrested Monday outside Hawaii's only women's and children's hospital. The unionized nurses have been locked out of the hospital since they began a one-day strike during collective bargaining negotiations.

Those arrested sat blocking the driveway of the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children on Monday morning and refused to leave the driveway after officers warned them, Honolulu Police spokeswoman Sarah Yoro said in an email.

More than 600 nurses have been locked out since their one-day strike earlier this month. Since then, nurses and their supporters have been protesting outside the hospital, holding signs saying that care will continue with a temporary workforce.

The nurses want safer nurse-patient ratios, said Rosalee Agas-Yuu, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association. The contract expired last year.

Both sides met over the weekend and contract negotiations are scheduled to continue on Monday, Agas-Yuu said.

“They just want to get back to the bedside and take care of the patients,” she said of the nurses.

On Monday, protesters calling attention to the lockout sat at the hospital entrance as buses carrying the temporary nurses from other states arrived, Agas-Yuu said. None of those arrested were active nurses, she said.

“We respect the right to peaceful protest, but demonstrations must not negatively impact patient care,” hospital CEO Gidget Ruscetta said in a statement. “Access to our medical center must remain open to our community. We rely on the Honolulu Police Department to take appropriate action.”

According to a police arrest report Kim Coco Iwamotoa Democrat who was recently elected to the state House of Representatives to represent part of Honolulu, was among those arrested and charged with obstruction of justice.

Iwamoto said she plans to address the nursing staffing ratio in the state legislature.

Ikaika Hussey, who recently won the Democratic primary for a seat in the state House of Representatives, was also arrested. He and others committed “classic civil disobedience,” he said after being released from a cell block.

He said his decision to participate was born out of thoughts of the hospital's founder, Queen Kapi'olani.

“She would be disappointed that her namesake has become something of an enemy of the working class,” he said.

This was not the first arrest for Lori Treschuk. She said she has been arrested at other protests for other reasons. But this was a very personal matter for the 77-year-old retired nurse.

“I feel so much for the nursing staff,” she said. “I know how stressful it is, even on what I would call a good day.”