ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE KAPI‘OLANI LOCK OUT

One Year Later: We Stood Strong and We Won
A year ago, on September 13, 2024, the nurses of Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children made a bold and historic move. They walked out on a one-day Unfair Labor Practice strike to protest illegal retaliation for raising concerns about unsafe staffing. In spite of threats from hospital leaders that they would not be allowed to return unless they accepted the employer’s contract proposal, nurses followed their conscience and stood for the safety of their patients.

When they arrived the next day ready to care for keiki and families, management locked them out — replacing experienced nurses with travel staff unfamiliar with the unit’s patients and workflows. Families quickly voiced concerns about the care being provided. The heartbreak of one parent’s loss became a sobering symbol of what was at stake when safe staffing is ignored.

The hospital’s attempt to pressure nurses into silence failed. Instead, it sparked an outpouring of solidarity — from nurses across Hawai‘i and the mainland, fellow unions, political leaders, and families who refused to let retaliation win. The 22-day lockout turned into a movement that demanded better: safe staffing, respect for the profession, and care that puts patients before profits.

In the end, Hawai‘i Pacific Health — the parent organization of Kapi‘olani — agreed to safer nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and other improvements that nurses had long fought for. The contract ratified in late 2024 was more than a settlement; it was a statement: patients come first, and nurses will not be silenced.

A Year of Ripple Effects
That courage didn’t stop at Kapi‘olani. In January, nurses at Wilcox Medical Center on Kaua‘i launched their own strike to demand the same standard of safe care for neighbor island families. Since then, hospitals across the state have started adopting safe staffing ratios as part of new nurse contracts — a direct result of the stand that began here.

 The fight has also connected nurses with other healthcare professionals — respiratory therapists, RTTs, physical therapists, CDI specialists, lactation consultants — all facing rising workloads and shrinking staff. By standing together, Hawai‘i’s healthcare workers are building the power needed to protect patients and hold employers accountable.

Celebrating Wins, Staying Vigilant
Today, one year later, we celebrate a hard-fought victory. We closed a strong contract that put safe staffing on the map, proved that nurses can organize and win, and showed Hawai‘i that our community will stand up for better care. But celebration doesn’t mean complacency. Enforcing the contract remains an uphill battle, and hospital leaders have shown resistance to fully honoring safe staffing commitments. Nurses continue to speak up, call out unsafe conditions, and insist that promises to patients and families are kept.

The message is clear: this movement didn’t end with the lockout — it began there.

Moving Forward Together
As we reflect on the strike lines, the long days of lockout, and the joyful picnic where we celebrated ratifying a stronger contract, one truth remains: nurses are warriors. We led the way not just for ourselves, but for every patient and healthcare worker across Hawai‘i.

The fight for safe, high-quality care continues — and our solidarity is stronger than ever.