Strike will end within 10 days, Inouye predicts

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye predicted yesterday that the teachers' strike, which has all but shut down public school education in Hawai'i, would be settled within 10 days.

"I've been given the impression that things will really intensify now," Inouye said after a closed-door meeting with Gov. Ben Cayetano. "I'm convinced the governor wants to settle. I think he realizes (the strike) is jeopardizing the education of our young people, and that he doesn't want that on his watch."

Cayetano's spokeswoman said the one-hour meeting had been cordial and that Inouye had not pressured the governor to end the dispute, which has left 12,000 teachers on picket lines and 183,000 children out of school for the past five school days.

"The governor and senator discussed the state's financial situation and the governor said he felt the senator had a better idea and understanding of the state's fiscal concerns after the meeting," said Kim Murakawa.

Hawai'i's two most powerful politicians had scheduled the meeting months in advance to discuss other issues, Murakawa said.

Inouye said, "If I were a teacher I would like to have had the strike resolved yesterday, but these negotiations take time and they have to study the facts."

He said he suspected the dispute would drag on for several more days but would not last beyond April 22.

"I'm optimistic, but I don't think it's going to end this weekend," he said.

Inouye said he hoped to talk further with Cayetano, the teachers' union, and the union that represents striking University of Hawai'i instructors, before returning to Washington Monday.

Inouye also said he hoped that Cmdr. Scott Waddle, captain of the submarine that struck and sank a Japanese fishing vessel off Hawai'i in February, would not be court-martialed after the Navy concludes its probe of the accident.

"I would hate to see anyone who's served as long as the captain has to be dragged before a court," Inouye said. "I don't think its necessary to have someone's head. We don't need a sacrificial lamb."

The senator also said he would meet with 24 members of a damaged U.S. spy plane who were scheduled to land in Hawai'i this morning after being detained in China.

"I will be on hand to greet them and welcome them back to American soil," he said.