Faculty union finishes UH vote
| • | Teachers prepare to walk |
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i faculty across the 10-campus system finished casting ballots yesterday on whether to authorize a strike.
Results will be announced Saturday after the union's executive committee meets. If approved, the strike by the UH system's 3,100 faculty members would probably begin around April 5, the same day public school teachers plan to walk out.
More than 45,000 students on UH campuses would be left with canceled classes if there is a strike.
The union and the state remain far apart on key contract issues, and professors say a new provision in the state's latest contract offer likely will provoke them into a work stoppage.
While the state is offering the faculty a 7 percent pay raise over two years and 3 percent more in possible merit raises, it also wants to restrict one-fourth of their retirement and health benefits.
That would mean faculty would have to pay the entire bill for their health-care coverage and lose credit toward retirement during the summer months, the professors said.
The union is asking for a 6 percent raise each year for two years, as well as 0.5 percent for possible merit raises each year. It also wants to reduce the community college teaching load from 15 credit hours a semester to 12 hours.
State negotiators say the state does not have the money for the pay increase and cannot afford to allow community college faculty to teach a lighter load.
