The union representing University of Hawaii faculty is declaring an impasse in its negotiations for a new contract.

J.N. Musto, executive director of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, said UHPA will submit a written notice Monday to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board asking for a mediator to help the union, UH and the state reach an agreement.

The state has asked all public worker unions to forgo a raise this year because of the economic downturn.

“;The whole impasse process is so we can avoid a strike,”; Musto said. “;It is our hope, slim as it might be, that perhaps through the use of mediation we can demonstrate there might be some ways to contrive a two-year agreement that might work.”;

Musto said the union is proposing a contract that would give faculty a raise only if certain economic conditions are met and the university can afford it.

But he said the state is not willing to talk seriously about the proposal.

Musto noted the university has other sources of revenue, including research funds and tuition, to pay for raises.

“;If the union feels they need to do this, then the union has every right to do so,”; UH spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka said.

Gov. Linda Lingle's chief negotiator had no comment on the UHPA negotiations.

The median salary for a full professor is $110,339 at UH-Manoa and $74,215 at the community colleges. An instructor makes a median salary of $53,552 at UH-Manoa and $52,872 at Honolulu Community College.

Musto said it is “;critical”; that a contract be approved so that the university and its faculty can play a role in improving Hawaii's economy.

The current contract, which gave faculty an average 31 percent raise over the last six years, expires on June 30.

The contract was signed after a 12-day strike in 2001. The pay raise is being funded, in part, by student tuition increases.

UHPA, state and UH negotiators began talks in May on a new contract.

Musto said there are no plans yet to take a strike vote.

“;We are not going to make that decision without approval of faculty in the bargaining unit,”; he said. “;We aren't at that juncture of picking a road. We want to see if there's this agreement that lies between the two roads”; (strike or accepting the state's position of no raises this year).