'Final push' on for strike talks
By Rod Ohira and Alice Keesing
Advertiser staff Writers
With the threat of federal court intervention looming over the 16-day teachers' strike, the two sides today began what has been described as the final push for a settlement.
"They know what they need to look at," federal mediator Ken Kawamoto said before Hawai'i State Teachers Association negotiators met at 9 a.m. at the Federal Building. At 1 p.m., the state and teachers union resumed talks. "As long as the sides haven't called it quits, there's always a chance."
Gov. Ben Cayetano said he hopes there could be a deal by late today. That would give teachers time over the weekend to ratify it and allow students to return to classes Monday.
If the strike is not resolved by Tuesday, the state and union may have the matter taken out of their hands by a federal judge.
The two sides were at least $100 million apart when teachers walked off the job two weeks ago. And retroactive pay is an issue neither side appears ready to concede.
"I'm hoping the teachers notice one common thing about the three contracts (already settled)," Cayetano said. "UPW, HGEA and UHPA all do not have retroactive raises."
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David Ezra will hear a motion to appoint a receiver to ensure that services are restored to Hawai'i's 20,000 special-needs students who have been without care during the strike.
Ezra has the authority to intervene because of the Felix consent decree, which orders the state to improve special-education services by December. Those involved with the Felix case say the strike has seriously damaged the state's ability to meet that deadline.
"That's the wild card," Kawamoto said. "No one knows what impact — what shape or form — (Ezra) will have but the parties are aware he's out there. They know what they have to do if they want to control what they're doing."
State negotiator Davis Yogi said yesterday that both sides were headed for "the final push."
In contrast, the union said the two sides were still too far apart.
"I don't think we're that close to settlement," said HSTA Executive Director Joan Husted. "But we're going to work real hard."
Husted did say that if the state agrees to the new proposal presented by the union yesterday, then the two sides would be "well on the way to settlement."
If the two sides did agree on a package today, the HSTA board could consider the contract tomorrow and send it out for a ratification vote Sunday.
"I'm trying to settle this so we can avoid visiting the judge's chambers," Yogi said. "Our intent was always to try and settle this as soon as possible, but I think with the special master, Jeff Portnoy, coming to visit both parties in mediation (Wednesday), I think that might have helped both parties to really look at things clearly."
Portnoy represents Ezra in the Felix case.
The two sides met for 12 hours yesterday, ending at 1:20 a.m. today.
Husted reiterated that retroactivity is a requirement for settlement. Teachers want to be paid for the two years they worked without a contract, but the state is offering money for only the last two years of the four-year deal.
The governor also reiterated his desire to tie pay raises to professional development.
"It's a very important part of our contract," he said. "We don't want the contract with the teachers to be just a labor contract. It has to provide something in there that will make the teachers get better."
Both sides met face-to-face for the first time yesterday, Husted said. Previously they stayed in separate rooms, communicating through a federal mediator.
