Except for nurses, police and firefighters under government employ, state workers are in various stages of flux:

The University of Hawaii faculty is poised to strike.

The state's elementary and secondary teachers aren't ruling out that option.

Honolulu bus drivers overwhelmingly rejected Oahu Transit Services' latest contract offer.

And the other 19,100 state workers are awaiting the binding decision of a three-person arbitration team.

"We're wrestling with the problem of wages because of the budget," said state negotiator Manabu Kimura. "The Council on Revenues amended their projection downward. It's becoming more of a challenge. ... It's really a tough time."

If the nurses' 6 percent wage increase decided by the arbitration team is any indication, the new year could bring pay hikes all around. But Gov. Ben Cayetano has argued that the state has no money for raises. The Hawaii Government Employees Association is asking for a 7 percent pay increase over two years. The HGEA can't strike; its membership is bound by the arbitrators' decision. But that decision could be altered during the 1997 legislative session.

Here's the public employee labor situation as 1996 winds down:

University of Hawaii: In a vote announced Friday, 81 percent of UH Professional Assembly members cast ballots in favor of a strike. University of Hawaii faculty members, who have worked without a contract since June 30, 1995, plan to strike on or about Jan. 13 - the start of spring semester.

At issue is language the assembly wants included in the contract covering tenure, intellectual property, unpaid leaves of absence and personnel procedures. Faculty members are also asking for an average of the arbitrated HGEA wage settlements for two years.

State teachers: Members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association are uneasily awaiting an arbitrator's decision on the fate of their fellow state workers. The teachers are also asking for a 7 percent raise as well as several other "noncost" items. But unlike the HGEA rank and file, the teachers could strike. And they haven't ruled it out.

"We're very anxious to settle," said HSTA Executive Director George Yamamoto. " ... But I think it's going to come

pretty heavy when the new legislative session begins. We may have to take strong action if nothing comes across."

Key issues in negotiations between the state and HSTA include a two-year, 7.2 percent-a-year raise; up to five professional development days taken from sick leave; supplementary pay for librarians, registrars and academic coaches who do extra work; and access to the Internet without administrative approval.

TheBus: Employees of TheBus, represented by Teamsters Local 966, are also without a contract after overwhelmingly rejecting a proposed salary contract with the nonprofit Oahu Transit Services early this month. Eighty-two percent of those who voted cast their ballots against a proposed five-year pact that included an option for the union to renegotiate wages only during the fourth and fifth years. The employees were also offered $1,000 bonuses the first two years and a 2 percent pay hike the remaining three years.

But they nixed the deal, in part because they want a wage hike during the first two years, not a bonus.

Teamsters spokesman Ron Kozuma said Friday he couldn't comment on talks because of a "gag order" agreement between the union and Oahu Transit. But Teamsters President Melvin Kahele said immediately following announcement of the vote that a strike would be "the last thing we want to do." The last Oahu bus drivers' work stoppage was more than 20 years ago, when bus service operated as Honolulu Rapid Transit.

In a joint statement issued Dec. 13, Kahele and Jared Jossem of Oahu Transit said: "The parties have made a great deal of progress in the lengthy talks, since the death of past Teamsters President Mike Chambrella. The parties are continuing to search for solutions to a few remaining issues and we are hopeful that negotiations will produce a satisfactory result. We are going to try to work it out, and we are not about to disrupt this community during the holiday season."

Nonsupervisors: Blue-collar workers, represented by the United Public Workers, are taking a wait-and-see approach. Since the current talks have yet to yield a contract and the union is gearing up for the next biennium, the two might be combined, said Kimura.

Supervisors: Blue-collar supervisors, represented by HGEA, are awaiting word on the result of an arbitration hearing concluded Thursday. HGEA spokesman Keith Ahue said a decision should be rendered by March.

The union is asking for a 7 percent pay raise over two years for all the HGEA units. Other unresolved proposals include a $5 increase in the uniform allowance, a 10-cent per hour hike in night differential pay, a 20-cent increase in conditions differential for corrections workers and a 10 cent increase in mileage pay.

Educational officers: The arbitration hearing for Department of Education educational officers represented by HGEA concluded Dec 13. A decision is expected in February.

UH personnel: The arbitration hearing for university administrators, professional and technical staff at UH concluded Dec. 7. A decision is expected in February.

White-collar: Nonsupervisors, white-collar supervisors and professional/scientific employees are awaiting an arbitration decision expected next month.