Posted on: Friday, March 23, 2001

Teachers win key fight

By Alice Keesing
Advertiser Education Writer

The Hawai'i Labor Relations Board today ruled in favor of the teachers' union and agreed to speed up hearing two complaints that threaten to delay a strike planned for April 5.

A member of the board accused the state of using delaying tactics.

"I felt like the employer is trying to use the board ... to basically stop the teachers from exercising their right to strike under the collective bargaining law," said Chester Kunitake.

At issue are two complaints filed by the state that accuse the Hawai'i State Teachers Association of bad-faith bargaining and intimidating tactics by planning to photograph those who cross picket lines.

The state has said the teachers cannot strike before the complaints are resolved, which on a normal schedule would not happen until after the planned strike date. But the board today indicated it does not want the complaints to interfere with the teachers' right to strike. It said it will hear them next week.

A federal mediator has called the teachers union and the state back to the bargaining table next week in an effort to stave off a strike, but the state's chief negotiator said he's not sure this is the best time for mediation.

Mediator Ken Kawamoto, who led an earlier round of talks between the two sides, has asked them to sit down Thursday.

But the state's chief negotiator, Davis Yogi, said the legal maneuvers that have emerged in the last week have complicated the situation and he won't be able to respond to the mediator until he has a better sense of those outcomes.

"I need to see how helpful (the mediator) would be," Yogi said. "He was helpful at one time, but I need to get the lay of the land right now."

Hawai'i State Teachers Association President Karen Ginoza said it would be unfortunate if the state did not return to the table.

"It's countdown time, so I guess we just have to keep our strike preparations in place," she said.

However, Yogi said he will keep negotiating.

"We're going to have to reach agreement sooner or later," he said. "My preference is sooner."

HSTA yesterday filed its official notice of intent to strike on April 5. Negotiations between the union and state have been deadlocked since November.

The state's last proposal would give 40 percent of Hawai'i's teachers raises of between 11 and 20 percent, averaging 12 percent. The union is asking for a package that amounts to 22 percent. Hawai'i's teachers earn between $29,000 and $58,000.

The last time teachers walked off the job was April 1973. That strike lasted 19 days.