News

Unit 13 ratification meeting schedules for Maui and Hawaii are now available.

Click here for Hawaii's ratification meeting schedule.

Click here for Kauai's ratification meeting schedule.

Click here for Maui's ratification meeting schedule. (The Maui schedule includes meetings on Molokai and Lanai.)

Click here for Oahu's ratification meeting schedule.

Your Unit 13 negotiating team received a formal settlement offer from the employer on April 25, 2013 and they would like to give the membership the opportunity to consider the offer, and are recommending members vote “no” to reject the offer.

Highlights of the terms, which are for the contract period of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015, are as follows:

Effective July 1, 2013:

• Eligible Employees entitled to one (1) step movement.  Employees eligible to move at least one step as of June 30, 2013 are entitled to one (1) step movement. No employee shall receive more then one (1) step movement during of the course of the 2 year contract.
• 4% for exempt employees not assigned to the salary schedule
• $1500 bonus for employees on M step
• Working condition differential increase from $.50 to $1.00/hour
• EUTF – Employer will contribute the dollar amount equivalent to 60% of the insurance premium on the prevalent plan (HMSA 80/20)

Effective July 1, 2014:

• 4% across the board increase for employees
• 4% across the board for exempt employees not assigned to the salary schedule. 
• Working condition differential increase from $.50 to $1.00/hour
• EUTF - Employer will continue to contribute the same dollar amount plus an additional $10 per month on a single plan, $20 per month on a two-party plan or $30 per month on a family plan.

The following are your negotiating team’s reasons for recommending to reject the offer:

• Despite the strength of our current economy, our fair and affordable proposals to the employer that included across the board increases and restoration of the step movement plan (shredding) were all rejected.
• The employer is not honoring the integrity of our contract.
• In informal polls our members have consistently identified the priority as restoration of steps and continuation of step movements.
• While there are no guarantees, the team believes it is likely that an arbitrator will render a favorable decision.
• It sets a bad precedent to agree to a contract without the step movement plan.
• The employer’s offer will cause salaries to fall even further behind similar professionals in other states and the private sector.
• We have given up a great deal in the past four years and we are not being fairly compensated.
• Without continuation of the step movement plan, all new employees will miss out on a step.
• We risk losing the step movement plan altogether as people fall further behind in steps.
• Our members went on strike in 1994, which resulted in the step movement plan and we believe it is our duty to not give away what was won by their efforts.

Any collective bargaining agreement is subject to ratification vote by the bargaining unit membership.

Statewide ratification meetings will be held on April 26 through April 30, 2013.  Members are encouraged to read the summary of the employer’s offer to bargaining unit 13 and obtain the ratification meeting schedule on the Members Only section of the HGEA website or at their HGEA office. These meetings are open only to HGEA bargaining unit members (please bring your photo ID). Voting results are expected the evening of April 30, 2013.

We will continue to keep you updated via eBulletin and the HGEA website on any progress or new developments.