Teachers to weigh options in contract bonus dispute
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Calling the state's latest public school teachers' contract proposal a "step backward for public education," Hawai'i State Teachers Association officials said it will brief teachers tomorrow on the union's options.
Advertiser library photo
Teachers and the state continue to wrangle over whether educators with advanced or professional degrees should get a 3 percent bonus for one year or two. Teachers ratified a contract in April, after a statewide strike, but the contract remains unsigned because of the bonus dispute. Although the contract language indicates the bonus should be paid each year, the state says it agreed to pay only one year's bonus during negotiations.
HSTA President Karen Ginoza wants the state to honor the negotiated deal.
The union's options include striking again, taking legal action, or accepting and negotiating the state's offer. The union board will meet Saturday to decide.
In the latest salvo of harsh words between the state and teachers union, HSTA president Karen Ginoza described state negotiator Davis Yogi as "inattentive" and said that because "the state did not do its homework, they are trying to back out of the teachers' contract and renegotiate."
Union officials say the state's proposed limit of $9.7 million for the teacher bonuses only provides enough money for 6,479 qualifying current teachers.
Ginoza said the state proposal would not include those qualified among the 1,500 new teachers hired for the coming school year or those teachers working toward master's degrees or professional diplomas.
The union also balked at the state's proposal that a "sunset clause" of June 30, 2003 be accepted for the 3 percent differential.
"Teachers would then have to renegotiate it back into the contract during the next collective bargaining," Ginoza said. "In essence, it removes an incentive for teachers earning advanced degrees by telling them that their hard work will be worthless after one year."
Union officials will brief teachers statewide tomorrow from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at various schools.
About half of Hawai'i's 13,000 public school teachers are back in school, with the rest heading back Aug. 21.
"We need to gather their feedback before we make a decision," Ginoza said about tomorrow's union meetings.
State officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.
