Gov laments influence
of unions at labor agency
Gov. Linda Lingle is finding that reforming state government does not happen easily.
The state Labor Department, for instance, has a pro-union culture that makes it more challenging to adopt pro-business changes, according to Lingle.
In an informal news conference yesterday at the state Capitol, the Republican governor said the department has been "used as a tool of labor unions" under Democratic administrations.
"We have a policy of job creation, and previously a lot of policies would inhibit or restrict job creation," Lingle said.
The governor said she expects the department to show the same "new energy, enthusiasm and new way of approaching things," but she acknowledged that changes in the department are being met with resistance.
Lingle would not speculate if this conflict contributed to an alleged physical confrontation last week between Nelson Befitel, labor director, and James Decker, manager of the Labor Department's Administrative and Technical Support Branch. That incident, Lingle said, is under investigation by the state Human Resources Department.
"We need to let this run its course," Lingle said.
The big change in the Labor Department, Lingle said, is to convince businesses to volunteer to be inspected by the department without the threat of citations.
"Call us, and let us come out and highlight for you some of the problems. You wouldn't suffer fines as long as you got them corrected," Lingle said.
She said the change was prompted because "workplace safety wasn't improving under the punitive approach."
