LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Nurses at Wilcox Memorial Hospital issued a 10-day strike notice after overwhelmingly rejecting management's latest contract offer, their union said yesterday.

The Hawaii Nurses Association said its 140 members at Wilcox Memorial, Kaua'i's only full-service hospital, intend to walk off the job at 7 a.m. June 24 if a settlement isn't reached.

With the issues of wages and benefits settled weeks ago, the stumbling block in contract negotiations has been the nurses' concerns about staffing and patient safety, the union said.

Hospital spokeswoman Lani Yukimura said that patient safety and care have always been Wilcox's priority and that the facility has "excellent staffing."

The 71-bed hospital will remain open and provide care even in the event of a strike, Yukimura said.

On June 6, 85 percent of the nurses voted to authorize their negotiation team to call a strike if necessary, according to the union.

At the request of management, the Hawaii Nurses Association then put the hospital's contract offer to a membership vote, with 89 percent rejecting the package, the union said.

According to the union, the nurses remain hopeful that negotiations can continue and that a settlement can be reached.

Yukimura said Wilcox has the largest emergency room on Kaua'i and is the only hospital on the Garden Island with services for intensive care, surgery and imaging.