[ TEACHER STRIKE ]
Determination University of Hawaii faculty picketed in the rain yesterday with no new deal on the horizon as contract negotiations with the state remained on hold.
growing, says UHPA
Picketers demonstrate at
Volleyball fans not happy By Treena Shapiro
the community college
headquarters on Dole Street
Star-BulletinAlthough J.N. Musto, executive director of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, said he had been contacted by the federal mediator to schedule more negotiations, no time had been set after two days of striking.
Musto said there would likely be no negotiations this weekend because the state's chief negotiator would not be able to meet with community college administrators until Monday, which means the strike is likely to extend into next week.
"There's no sense in this at all," he said. "We should be bargaining -- so should HSTA -- and we should be trying to reach an agreement with all our might."The union negotiators opted to strike after the state turned in a final offer Wednesday night that was unacceptable in areas such as pay raises and workload.
The state has offered a 9 percent pay raise over two years, with the university to contribute another 2 percent for merit pay. The union, however, which has already worked without a contract for two years, has asked for 12 percent raises across the board over the next two years, plus 1 percent merit.
About 90 percent of the 3,100-member faculty union agreed with the negotiators' position, and for two days they have picketed entrances at all 10 campuses across the state, bringing the number of classes taught to a minimum.
Even with pouring rain in Manoa, turnout yesterday was extraordinary, Musto said, and at the community college campuses, participation was at or near 100 percent.
"They're getting more determined," he said.
Community colleges
Several community college faculty came up to the Manoa campus yesterday to picket in front of the community college headquarters on Dole Street, a location not picketed on the first day of the strike.Community college workload failed to be addressed during contract negotiations four years ago, but the issue has become more pressing this time around. Picket captain Sharon Rowe said a survey of the Language Arts Department at Kapiolani Community College showed that faculty on average put in 59-hour weeks.
The union has asked that the community college faculty teach fewer courses to give them time for noninstructional activities, many of which are required to keep their jobs or to apply for tenure or promotion. Rowe said KCC faculty are required to do community service, attend conferences or take graduate courses in their field of expertise and serve on college committees.
Henry Davis, an associate professor of chemistry at KCC, teaches six classes and spends several more hours for community service. "I don't have time to apply for promotion," he said. "The workload needs to be redefined. The administration has always refused to look at it, and it has just become a bargaining unit."
At UH's Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu campuses, faculty course-load is capped at four classes. However, the state objects to granting the same to community college faculty because that would require hiring more lecturers to offer the same number of courses. The state has estimated that would cost up to $5 million.
Community College Chancellor Joyce Tsunoda said she is looking into the existing policy regarding course-load outside of contract negotiations at the request of the union. "I'll have to look at it and see what's possible," she said.
Lecturers
The state's latest proposal excluded lecturers from all pay increases. Lecturers who teach less than half time are not part of the union, while full-time lecturers who are part of the bargaining unit receive no benefits.Under the current contract, lecturers are paid by the credit, between $1,000 and $1,405, depending on the lecturer's degree and experience and whether the course is undergraduate or graduate.
The union's proposal would raise lecturers' pay to $1,123-$1,578 per credit over two years.
Musto said the union will not settle if the lecturers do not receive a raise.
This comes as good news to Kerri Russell, a Ph.D. candidate in East Asian languages and literature and also "one of those less-than-half-time lecturers."
Russell crossed the picket line to teach her one class on Thursday, where only two of her eight students showed up. But before and after her class, she joined her picketing colleagues -- and had the sunburn to prove it.
Faculty at the picket lines were supportive of nonunion lecturers required to report to campus. "They know that I don't want to cross the line to teach," she said.
>> HSTA Web site
>> UHPA Web site
>> State Web site
>> Governor's strike Web site
>> DOE Web site
University of Hawaii strikers heard horns blaring in support all day but that's not what they were hearing from Earl Lau. UH strikers get
By Mary Adamski
a hornful from
irate volleyball fans
Star-BulletinWith 10 minutes to go before the UH men's volleyball game started last night, Lau laid on his horn in frustration. He was stopped on Dole Street in a line of cars blocked by the union picket line.
"I support them but I don't support their tactics," Lau snapped.
"We're not honking because we love you, baby," shouted Marian Miller. "You're taking up my time.
She said her ire went beyond being late for the game.
"I don't have much sympathy. I work 40 hours a week. That's more than they do."
Wilfred Morales, also briefly delayed, said, "I'm okay with it. I support UHPA, and I'm going to support the team."
He said he wasn't persuaded by UHPA urging fans to stay home.
Many fans apparently did heed the call to stay home.
The announced attendance at the exhibition game against the University of Alberta was 2,674, even though 4,635 tickets were sold.
Still, dozens of people arrived early -- as much as two hours before the game -- worried about a traffic jam. Ironically, they were not stopped at the entrance.
UHPA pickets had halted their slow, lane-blocking stroll for two hours while the bulk of fans arrived.
UHPA attorney Tony Gill arrived and set the union members marching again at 6:30 p.m.
The interrupted picketing was due to "some confusion with advice from the police," said UHPA executive director J.N. Musto.
Gill said fans heading for tonight's seniors volleyball game can expect to be slowed by pickets.
"If there is nobody in the stands, it would make an enormous statement," said Joan Peters, an associate English professor.
But John Monn, waiting outside the arena an hour before the gate opened, asked: "Why boycott the athletes? This is the No. 1 team in the country; how often in Hawaii do you get to see a No. 1 team?"
>> HSTA Web site
>> UHPA Web site
>> State Web site
>> Governor's strike Web site
>> DOE Web site