Teacher shortage disputed
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By Kevin Dayton and Alice Keesing
Advertiser Staff Writers
Gov. Ben Cayetano said the teachers union is exaggerating Hawai'i's teacher shortage to gain leverage in its dispute with the state over its contract.
At a news conference he called at the State Capitol, Cayetano also criticized state Schools Superintendent Paul LeMahieu yesterday for releasing what Cayetano called "misleading" estimates of the number of teacher vacancies.
Cayetano said he strongly disagreed with LeMahieu's suggestion that he might ask a federal judge to intervene to help implement the teachers' contract.
"I would not agree, because it would be an invasion of state's rights," Cayetano said. "Hawai'i is a sovereign American state. We're not a subsidiary of the federal government, and if the superintendent would ever propose that, then I would suggest that he look for another job because it is his responsibility, and that's the reason he was hired, was to try to resolve the problem."
LeMahieu last night agreed that it is unclear if the federal court could intervene in the contract dispute, which has dragged on since April, when the state and teachers reached a tentative settlement that ended the teachers' strike. Cayetano and the teachers' union disagree on whether the contract's 3 percent bonus for teachers with advanced and professional degrees was meant to be paid for one or two years.
"All I meant to suggest and what I'm still intent on following through is encouraging a discussion of it as a possibility to see whether or not it is both potentially fruitful and a good idea," LeMahieu said of his remarks about going to federal court.
LeMahieu also said he was disappointed to hear the governor's comments about his position.
"It is disappointing to hear those comments first of all because he's right that he has been a very strong supporter ... and it's not good for the education system for that support to come and go that quickly," he said. "It's also disappointing because he comes to that position without talking to me at all."
The dispute has delayed the implementation of salary increases and the payment of a $1,110 retention bonus that both sides agreed to. Both the union and state have filed complaints with the Hawai'i Labor Relations Board and are awaiting a hearing.
Karen Ginoza, president of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, said the union has been predicting a teachers' shortage for some time, and anecdotal evidence suggests the contract dispute is making it worse.
But Cayetano said the state has fewer special education teacher vacancies this year than last year despite the labor dispute. Last year, the state was short 215 special education teachers, while this year on Sept. 5 the state was short only 129, he said.
Estimate disputed
Cayetano said there are no accurate estimates yet of how many teacher vacancies there are of all types. And while Cayetano acknowledged the continuing contract dispute "is not helping" with recruitment, he said he doesn't know how much of a difference the flap has made.
"The teacher shortage in Hawai'i did not surface with this contract dispute," Cayetano said.
LeMahieu yesterday said he stands behind his statement that the system is short about 437 teachers, which is "considerably higher than a year ago." He agreed the numbers are changing daily, but he said his comments have become caught up in the battle between the governor and the union.
"The governor is engaged in a dispute with the union ... and unfortunately everything that I say that's related to this seems to be directed at that dispute, and it's not," he said. "I just reached a point where remaining silent because of that polarized circumstance, was keeping me from speaking out on behalf of the system, which has some pretty serious needs."
Cayetano also said the public and the union rank-and-file don't understand the state has offered to give the teachers their raises while the union and the state hash out the problem with the bonuses. The union refused, he said.
That meant the raises that were agreed to have been put on hold while the bonus issue is resolved. But teachers don't understand what happened and are calling the governor's office asking that he separate the issues and give the teachers their raises now, Cayetano said.
Disagreement on detail
Ginoza said the union also suggested separating the overall contract from the bonus problem in July, but the two sides were unable to agree on the details.
According to Ginoza, the union proposed giving the teachers their raises along with the first year of the bonus for teachers with advanced degrees. The union suggested the two sides could then "continue to discuss" the disputed second year of the bonus, she said.
Ginoza said the administration suggested giving the teachers their raises now, but not releasing the first-year bonus until the issue of the disputed second year was resolved. The union interprets that as an attempt by Cayetano to renegotiate the bonus, something the union is unwilling to do, she said.
