HSTA, state
resume talks

But the state complains to the
Labor Board the teachers union
is bargaining in bad faith

'Essential' teachers requested

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

The state and the Hawaii State Teachers Association were back at the bargaining table this morning in informal talks to settle stalled contract negotiations.

The last time both sides met in a formal session was March 8, then informally March 22. The final details for the talks were worked out between the state's chief negotiator, Davis Yogi, and HSTA chief negotiator Joan Husted after the conclusion last night of a 10-hour Hawaii Labor Relations Board hearing.

The board heard testimony on two prohibited-practice complaints filed by the state against the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

One of the complaints alleged that the union has been bargaining in bad faith because it hasn't budged from its original demand for a 22 percent pay raise.

But HSTA officials testified that the union presented a verbal counterproposal to Yogi that amounted to $100 million less than the cost of the 22 percent proposal, which is $260 million.

Irene Igawa, an HSTA negotiations specialist, testified that she telephoned Yogi and said, "Davis, you put $160 million on the table and you've got a settlement."

But Yogi testified that he does not have the authority to settle the contract for less than $67 million, the amount of his two formal proposals to the union.

The state and the union are at a stalemate over money. The union has proposed 22 percent, while the state proposed an average of 12 percent. Teachers have notified the labor board that it will strike April 5 if there isn't a settlement.

The union said its proposal would cost $260 million while the state said its calculations bring the amount to $294 million. The state says it can't afford that amount along with wage demands being made by other unions.

Husted said the union was looking for retroactive wages, increment steps and across-the-board raises in offers made by the state.

She said she was told that Gov. Ben Cayetano wouldn't agree to retroactive wages and increments and wouldn't go above $67 million.

"We were told that the governor was going to push us out on strike and keep us out on strike," Husted testified.

The union waited until Oct. 12 to make its first wage proposal, after the September meeting of the Council on Revenues, which projects the state's economic outlook, at the request of the governor.

Husted said she asked Igawa to make the call to Yogi in February to jump-start talks, but Yogi came back with a proposal on March 8 with the same dollar amount and other items the union objected to.

The other prohibited-practice complaint deals with union instructions to photograph or identify anyone crossing the picket line.

Husted said the instructions date back to 1972.

After the union received the complaint filed to the labor board, it rescinded the instructions and is planning to let its members know when they return from spring break.

The labor board is expected to decide the case after Friday.

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State requests
‘essential’ teachers

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

The state is asking the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to declare 15 more special education teachers essential workers, meaning they would have to report to work in the event of a strike.

The labor board earlier this month granted the state's request to declare 322 special education teachers essential. The board then ordered the state to develop a plan on where these teachers will go.

The request for the additional teachers came in the state's plan identifying which teachers are essential and where they will be assigned.

Deputy Attorney General Francis Keeno said in a letter yesterday to the labor board that the additional teachers are needed for the Maui school district, which also includes Molokai and Lanai. The tri-island configuration makes it difficult for the Department of Education to transport students and teachers to designated sites. Keeno also said Maui is the only district which has more schools --- 29 --- than the 22 assigned positions.

The implementation calls for:

>> 61 teachers for 715 students in the Honolulu District.
>> 45 teachers for 675 students in the Central Oahu District.
>> 42 teachers for 843 students in the Windward District.
>> 55 teachers for 496 students on the Big Island
>> 22 teachers for 328 students in the Maui District.
>> 20 teachers for 216 students on Kauai.
>> 10 teachers for 78 students at the Hawaii Center for the Deaf and Blind.

The labor board has scheduled a hearing tomorrow to hear the state's request.