Hundreds of nurses and health care workers from Maui Health returned to work this morning after holding a three-day strike protesting unfair labor practices.

They marched back to work together at Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku at 7 a.m. today, to cheers and applause. The strike also took place at Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital.

The United Nurses and Health Care Employees of Hawaii, which represents more than 900, moved forward with the strike after talks broke down last Friday over safe staffing ratios.

Over three days, the workers walked, chanted, and danced on picket lines, calling for safe staffing at all three facilities, eliciting honks of support.

“The primary issues remain safe staffing and wages that can retain staff in Maui to care for Maui residents,” said the union in a news release. “The UNHCEH bargaining team have proposed the same staffing ratios that Kaiser agreed to in its contract with RNs in California. Studies show that for every patient added to a nurse’s workload, mortality rates increase by 7%.”

Maui Health, meanwhile, said in a statement that its current offer is strong and highly competitive, with across-the-board wage increases of 18% over four years.

Maui Health also said most staffing guidelines the union is suggesting are already in place, and that it is working on an overall staffing model that includes these guidelines and putting together a nurse staffing committee.

But flexibility is necessary, the not-for-profit organization said, rather than a “rigid mandate” based solely on numbers.

The union, energized by support from the community during the strike, said safe staffing must be on the table in order for meaningful progress to continue with contract negotiations.

Talks have been ongoing since July. The union’s contract ended Sept. 30.

The union represents more than 900 workers, including registered nurses, physical therapists, imaging techs, admitting clerks and more.

The two parties are scheduled to return to the bargaining table virtually next Thursday, followed by in-person meetings on Dec. 11 and 12.