HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Nurses from Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children will host a celebration picnic on Friday, October 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Magic Island to commemorate the ratification of their new three-year contract. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You This milestone follows over a year of negotiations, informational pickets, and strikes that culminated in a lockout. The public is invited to join the festivities and congratulate the nurses for their perseverance during a challenging period. Kapiolani Medical Center nurses set to return to work “The Kapiolani nurses have been through a lot over the past year and have formed deep, lasting bonds of friendship with each other,” said Rosalee Agas-Yuu, president of the Hawaii Nurses’ Association. “During the lockout, the nurses supported one another, donated blood, and found ways to keep giving. That’s what nurses do.” ‘It’s a great hike for pet owners wanting an adventure’: Hawaiʻi hikes Agas-Yuu emphasized that the new contract represents a shift in employer-employee relations in Hawaii. “As a community, we have learned that a lockout is not the way to go,” she stated. “The contract was built on the sacrifices of the nurses, the tears of families, community support, and the bold actions of the Kapiolani ‘10’ who were willing to be arrested. Collaboration between employers and employees is always the better route.” Immigrant stories coming to Hawaiʻi International Film Festival The nurses, who cannot return to work until Sunday, plan to use this time to bond and prepare for their first day back on the job. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Agas-Yuu noted their goal is to uphold the original vision of Kapiolani Medical Center, dedicated to providing the best care possible to Hawai‘i’s families over the next three years.