Governor signs bill to pay for UH raises

Advertiser Staff

Gov. Ben Cayetano has signed into law a bill that provides money for pay raises for the University of Hawai'i faculty union.

The bill appropriates nearly $25 million for raises and additional fringe benefit costs included in the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly's collective bargaining agreement with the state. The faculty union has about 3,200 members.

The bill also appropriates $3 million for salary increases and other cost adjustments for university officers and employees excluded from the union.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the state arrived at the settlement after a 13-day strike — the longest in the university's history. The walkout coincided with a strike by the public-school teachers union, marking the first time in U.S. history that labor unions have shut down an entire public education system.

The university faculty ended up with a 12 percent settlement package that gives professors $2,325 the first year and 6 percent in the second year. The package also addressed the community college workload and a pay raise for lecturers.