Hawaii’s union members in 2019 accounted for 23.5% of wage and salary workers in Hawaii to rank first in the nation, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The only other state to reach the 20% threshold was New York at 21%.

Hawaii had 135,000 union members last year while another 12,000 wage and salary workers in Hawaii were represented by a union on their main job or covered by an employee association or contract while not union members themselves. Union membership for the state reached its peak in 1989 when it averaged 29.9% and fell to its low point in 2016 when it was at 19.9%.

ON THE MOVE

The Queen’s Health Systems has announced the following appointments:

>> Bruce Nakaoka as vice president of Queen Emma Land Co., replacing Les Goya, who retired at the end of 2019 after 26 years of service. Nakaoka joined the organization in May 2014 as director of asset management, with previous experience as managing director of Tradewind Capital Group, co-founder of MN Capital partners and director of real estate investments and appraisal for Kamehameha Schools/Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate.

>> Florence Agos as director of care transition and clinic services at The Queen’s Medical Center- West Oahu. Agos joined the hospital in July, assisting in the opening of its West Orthopedic Center, with previous experience at The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl campus, where she served as nurse manager in 2014 and clinical operations manager in 2012.

>> Evangelina Huxford as director of surgical services at The Queen’s Medical Center- West Oahu. Huxford is a certified perioperative nurse, previously serving as director of operative services for University of Cincinnati, with experience in perioperative/surgical services for both adult and pediatric patients.