UH faculty hope protests
spur state to hike pay
By Suzanne Tswei
Star-Bulletin
The University of Hawaii faculty, without a labor contract for nearly two years, is hoping that a series of public protests will spur the state into settling their differences over wages and other issues.
"The protests are the first step to avoid a strike," said sociology profes
sor David Cleveland. "The idea is to educate the public, convince them that there is a problem."
Cleveland was one of about 50 faculty members who gathered in front of Honolulu Community College yesterday afternoon in the first protest, which became noisy at times with enthusiastic honking by passing motorists.
More demonstrations are being planned for the next few weeks on other campuses, said J.N. Musto, executive director of the faculty union.
Negotiations for faculty salaries and other labor issues have stalled between the faculty union and the state. The union is free to issue a 10-day strike notice and legally may strike Jan. 29, but no strike date has been set, Musto said.
"If there's not a salary increase, there will be a strike," Musto said yesterday.
Faculty members have been working without a contract since June 30, 1999. The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly has asked for a four-year contract with raises of 3 percent each year, plus a $2 million fund for merit pay. The state has offered no across-the-board raises but would allow the university to give more money to selected individuals.
Marcia Armstrong, a member of the union negotiating team, said students would pay the ultimate price as the faculty is overworked and underpaid.
"We are hoping we will not have to strike, but we are willing to take the final step to go to that strike," Armstrong said. "But we are going to do everything possible to avoid a strike."
Math professor Faye Tamakawa, who dressed in a black cap and gown for the protest, said low salaries discourage instructors from moving to Hawaii and will cause a teacher shortage as the older instructors retire.
Tamakawa said her two children, both with math degrees from a mainland university, came to teach at Kapiolani Community College but had to return to the mainland because of poor pay here.
Mary Tiles, a philosophy professor and a negotiator for the union, said the disagreements are not only over money.
"It's the issue of the work load also. That's linked to the quality of education issue," Tiles said.
Community colleges' faculties are required to teach five classes a semester, leaving them feeling drained. The faculty need to have time off from teaching to update teaching material, she said.
