‘Impasse’
still blocks UH
faculty contract
A strike authorization vote
will be taken at all 10 campuses
later this month
By Helen Altonn
Star-Bulletin
"The line is clearly drawn" between the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the state, the faculty union's chief negotiator said today.
J.N. Musto said the state's last "employer settlement position," delivered to the union Tuesday afternoon, "makes it clear that the faculty of UHPA and the governor remain at an impasse over the terms of a new contract."
He said no further negotiations are scheduled, and a strike authorization vote will be taken at all 10 campuses March 19, 20 and 21. Absentee ballots also will be available.
UHPA's board will meet March 24 to determine what action to take following the strike vote, he said.
If there is a strike authorization vote, the union likely would issue a 10-day notice to the state, Musto said.
Faculty members on the 10 campuses have been working without an agreement since July 1, 1999. Negotiations have continued for two years with no resolution.
Davis Yogi, the state's chief negotiator, could not be reached immediately for comment.
The Hawaii Labor Relations Board declared the current bargaining impasse last November.
The last faculty pay increase was in July 1998, and only "piddly" increases have been proposed by the state, Musto said.
Faculty members have been forced to leave because of low wages and poor working conditions, and positions have gone unfilled, he said, noting a 12.6 percent reduction in the number of collective bargaining unit members in six years.
In 1995, UHPA had 3,300 members. It now has 2,885.
Musto said UHPA gave the state a counterproposal Feb. 21 "in good faith" and hoped it would lead to an end to the impasse.
But after UHPA's proposed changes in its counteroffer and the state's March 6 proposal, he said these issues remain:
The amount and distribution of salary increases and coverage of the bargaining unit (exclusion of lecturers from any salary increases).
Loss of Employee Retirement System service credits for faculty on nine- and 11-month appointments because of the employer's payroll payment schedule.
Unfair treatment of community college faculty regarding granting of teaching equivalencies.
The employer's proposal to reduce the 50-50 percent historic sharing of patent or intellectual property rights created by UH faculty members.
The scope of merit awards, which does not include faculty engaged in work with students, counselors, librarians or other types of specialists.
