UHPA, state talks stretch into Easter morning, but deal elusive
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By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Negotiators for the state and the striking University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly met until 2 a.m. today, but while the two sides announced they had made progress, the talks did not immediately produce a settlement.
In a joint statement this morning after nine hours of talks, negotiators for the state and the UH faculty union said the two sides came closer to agreement in some areas but that they will rest today and resume talks on Tuesday.
The state's chief negotiator, Davis Yogi, indicated the movement in the latest round of talks was significant. "We've worked hard and we have a greater understanding and we're much closer," said Yogi.
Yogi was also asked about negotiations with the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, which like UHPA walked off the job on April 5, closing down public schools across the state.
"I am meeting with HSTA on Monday and UHPA on Tuesday and we'll see where we go from there," Yogi said.
Advertiser library photo • April 12, 2001
Earlier in the evening, the chief negotiator seemed frustrated by the pace of the negotiations with the faculty union.
UHPA supporters march on Punchbowl Street. Despite talks at the Federal Building yesterday, the strike entered its 11th day today.
"We only propose, and they reject," he said as he entered the Federal Building, shortly before 5 p.m. At 8 p.m., as state and UHPA negotiators broke for dinner, Yogi said the two sides were still at odds.
"We are here to settle the contract," said J.N. Musto, UHPA's executive director. "That's why we're here; I'll stay as long as I have to."
Musto, UHPA president Alex Malahoff and UHPA negotiators Marcia Armstrong, Mary Tiles and Jim Heasley were delayed a few moments when a guard at the Federal Building refused to let Musto carry an "on strike" sign into the building. Musto took the guard aside, and the sign was allowed in.
"A settlement? I wouldn't predict it," said Tiles, a philosophy professor at the university.
Tiles said the state and UHPA started with 27 contract issues to discuss and had reached agreement on all but three. Those three issues, however, have been the sticking point throughout: Across the board raises, increased salaries for lecturers and teaching equivalency concessions for community college teachers.
"We're not going to sell anybody out," Tiles said.
Yesterday's meeting between UHPA and the state is the second in three days. Thursday's meeting, the first since the strike began, ended after 8 1/2 hours with no settlement in sight.
Yesterday also marked the 10th day that both UHPA, the bargaining unit that covers university and community college faculty members across the state, and the Hawai'i State Teachers' Association, which represents Hawai'i's public school teachers, have been out on strike.
More than 3,000 professors, 45,000 college students, 12,000 public school teachers and 183,000 primary and secondary school students are affected by the strikes.
