By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Professors and teachers will be asked next month to authorize the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly to call a strike if an agreement cannot be reached between the union and the state.
The strike authorization votes have been scheduled on all campuses on March 19-21, said J.N. Musto, executive director and chief negotiator for the UHPA. The board of directors is scheduled to meet the following Saturday to determine whether the strike should be called.
"Our desire is not to have to go out on strike, but we have to prepare," Musto said. "That is our legal option if the impasse continues."
Negotiators with the UHPA and the state have not agreed on pay or benefits, Musto said. Another area of disagreement involves tenure considerations for community college faculty. In addition to excellency in teaching, the faculty want other scholarly and community work taken into consideration.
The UHPA has presented counterproposals that it hopes the state will consider, Musto said.
Davis Yogi, chief negotiator for the state, could not be reached for comment this weekend.
Meanwhile, Musto said, demonstrations such as a recent one conducted on the Kaua‘i campus will continue. Faculty will waive signs at Dole and University streets on March 9.
A TV campaign consisting of 15-second spots designed to educate the public on the concerns of the faculty are to begin this week.
Jim Manke, spokesperson for the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, said contingency plans were in place to make sure the campus would remain open and safe for students, faculty and staff in the event of a strike, and that information would be readily available concerning the day-to-day status of the strike.
[back to top] |
