Given that health care resources can be quickly strained right now due to the pandemic, it comes as a relief that rather that moving forward with a recently authorized strike, the Hawaii Nurses Association now plans to vote next week on whether to ratify a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

Negotiated Wednesday night, the agreement, which covers some 725 nurses, includes wage increases, health care premium cost coverage benefits, and improvements to the paid time-off process. It also addresses nurses’ personal protective equipment and other safety concerns.