Posted on: Tuesday, October 8, 2002
ELECTION 2002
Hirono, Lingle win union support
By James Gonser
Advertiser Staff Writer
Both major party candidates for governor picked up important endorsements yesterday, with Democrat Mazie Hirono winning the support of the Hawai'i Government Employees Association and Republican Linda Lingle getting the backing of the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly.
The HGEA has supported Hirono's political career for more than 20 years, and UHPA was the only prominent union to endorse Lingle in her unsuccessful 1998 bid for governor against Ben Cayetano.
With 42,763 members, the HGEA is the state's largest union. Its political action committee endorses candidates based on incumbents' voting records, answers to questionnaires and personal interviews. The HGEA board of directors then approves the endorsements.
"Our members want our state's highest offices occupied by leaders with a solid record of accomplishment, so this union will do everything in its power to elect Mazie and Matt on Nov. 5," said HGEA executive director Russell K. Okata, referring to Hirono and running mate state Sen. Matt Matsunaga.
Okata said the union would send out brochures to support the ticket, work the phone banks and provide volunteers for sign waving.
"Mazie has proven her independence," Okata said. "She openly disagreed with Cayetano by leading the fight to protect collective bargaining and fund our arbitrated pay raises."
Hirono said she has differences with the union, but will work on common ground. Okata said it is important to have someone in the executive branch that will hear their concerns.
"I think (the endorsement) is very important to the campaign," said campaign spokeswoman Barbara Tanabe. "It sends a clear signal that Mazie Hirono understands the issues that affect working people."
As part of its endorsement of Lingle, the 2,750-member university faculty union began an $80,000 television campaign yesterday supporting the Lingle/Aiona ticket, featuring members talking about higher education. With about 35 percent of its members voting, 57.4 percent chose to endorse Lingle and 42.6 percent went with Hirono.
"Linda Lingle has articulated a positive vision for the University of Hawai'i, and the votes of our members reflect this," said UHPA president and UH-Manoa professor Mary Tiles.
"During the past eight years the University of Hawai'i has lost its competitive position relative to other great state institutions of higher education in America. For the sake of UH, this has to be the time for change."
Tiles said Lingle had made several promises to the union, including pledges to reverse the decline in the university's share of state general revenues; to encourage the use of UH faculty and students as consultants and researchers; to develop research and work/study programs; to allow the university to retain all money from extramural sources; and to recognize collective bargaining in determining salary, benefits and work conditions of faculty members.
Lingle said she would finance these actions by immediately cutting government waste and redirecting the money saved to the university.
"It is easy to agree with, because they are common sense," Lingle said of her proposals. "I'm committed to the UH to regain and surpass its previous position in the nation."
Both the UHPA and HGEA endorsed candidates in nearly every statewide race; both selected the late Patsy Mink for U.S. Congress in the 2nd District.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
