An “overwhelming majority” of the 100 Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital nurses have voted in favor of ratifying a labor agreement with management, averting a potential three-day strike that was scheduled to begin Monday.

The Hawai’i Nurses’ Association said the new three-year contract became effective immediately upon ratification Friday.

The agreement grants nurses, who have been working without a contract since the end of March, improved nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and wages that are closer to their counterparts at Queen’s two Oahu hospitals in Honolulu and Ewa Beach, according to an HNA news release.

“The new agreement is a positive signal that Queen’s leaders are willing to change their approach to bargaining and are beginning to take their responsibility to the communit

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