3 Day Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Workers Strike | May 2016
The 3 Day Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center workers strike began on Monday, May 16th, 2016 at exactly 5:30 p.m., and ended on Thursday, May 19th, 2016 at exactly 5:30 p.m. as well. More than 200 Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center employees representing Hale Nani Local 5, 90% of it's members participated primarily certified nursing assistants and workers in the dietary, maintenance, recreation, & housekeeping departments, took to the streets within the surrounding area as well as other locations including the State Capital wearing their red Local 5 shirts chanting, sign waiving, marching, and passing out leaflets
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At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 19th, 2016, Hale Nani Local 5 members headed to Waikiki Beach to attend their Hale Nani X Ashton Rally in support of their Ashton Waikiki Beach Hotel brothers & sisters who were picketing to be unionized. As the 3 Day Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center workers strike ended on Thursday, May 19th, 2016 at approxiately 5:30 p.m., employees representing Hale Nani Local 5 from all three shifts and all five departments felt a deep sense of pride, camaraderie, & unity amongst one another
"I feel our strike was very successful! When we first started our strike petition, our goal was to have 75% of our Hale Nani Local 5 members to sign it. We reached our goal of 75% signatures before our submission deadline, and even surpassed it to an astounding 90% out of a 100% ratio! That is what the union is all about! Unity among all three shifts & all five departments! I honestly feel during our three day strike that we enjoyed each others comapany, and that we are now closer to one another both in and out of the facility. Ole, ole, ole, ole, ole! Justice! Justice," says Louie Bernardo who has worked as a certified nursing assistant and currently a restorative nursing assistant for a total of 15 years at Hale Nani
"For the first time in all my years working here at Hale Nani, I saw everybody working together, being united, and standing for a cause we all believed in. It felt so good that it brought tears to my eyes. It was such a wonderful experience, and one that I will never forget! What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now," says Rey Patague who has worked in the billing department & recreation department, and is currently working within the nursing department at Hale Nani for a total of 13 years
As for yours truly? I have worked here at hale Nani for 16 years, and have attended numerous negotiations during that time between our management & our Union Hale Nani Local 5. Hell, I was even a shop steward for our Hale Nani Local 5 Union probably a decade ago & attended a shop steward seminar or two at Kapiolani Community College. A time when all the three shifts didn't get along during negotiations. A time when all the departments didn't get along during negotiations. A time when all the shop stewards representing the different shifts & different departments didn't get along during negotiations. Pointing fingers, blaming one another, hating one another, and the list goes on & on. Our union members were definitely by without a doubt divided at the time, and I'm sure managment could sense it, feel it, smell it, and even taste it on their tongues. And yes, divided we fell with no voices to stand up for us as we stood by taking whatever left over scraps aka contract management threw at us. I for one am glad that our present day Hale Nani Local 5 unions members are united. It's been a long time coming. Three shifts, five departments, One Family. Hale Nani Local 5!
Found up top is a video clip created from our 3 Day Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center workers strike. Found up top & below are links that will lead you to the entire image gallery of our 3 Day Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center workers strike. HANA HOU!
WHO'S IN THE HOUSE? LOCAL 5,
Peter Rosario
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