Posted on: Friday, April 18, 2003
UH faculty seeks early settlement with state to protect health benefits
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
In an unusual move, the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly is offering to forgo raises this year and postpone further salary negotiations until January, and it is suggesting a partial contract settlement on all other issues to the UH Board of Regents.
"It's our hope that will give stability through the fall and there won't be a strike," UHPA executive director J.N. Musto told the regents. UHPA represents faculty at all 10 institutions in the university system.
But he also warned that if bargaining in 2004 is not successful, that could lead to a strike.
Despite that warning, Musto's words were a far cry from the militant stance of two years ago when UHPA took faculty out of college classrooms for a 13-day strike that left rancorous feelings on campuses and raised concerns among students about completing course work for the semester.
Gov. Linda Lingle has said the state does not have the money for pay raises.
A major reason for the partial settlement offer lies in Musto's concern about health benefits for UHPA members that are part of the current contract, which expires June 30.
Without a new contract, or an extension, UHPA members would see a dramatic increase in costs that could increase about $1,000 per year — to $4,000 — for families to maintain full coverage.
"We're looking at a partial agreement to tie down Health Trust Fund costs," said Musto. "I think that's in the interest of everyone. If not, payments will be going up."
The same consideration runs throughout the state workforce as public employee unions must see their requests decked at the Legislature by Thursday in order to maintain health benefits without a substantial increase in costs.
"Cost items have to be submitted to the Legislature by April 24 and the major cost item is the new Employee Unions Trust Fund," said Ted Hong, chief negotiator for the Office of Collective Bargaining in the governor's office.
The Trust Fund was established in 2001 to control the healthcare costs of state employees, said Hong. By negotiating health benefits for all employees as one giant pool, the state has saved about $10 million this year alone, he said.
"J.N. is doing it the smart way," said Hong. "He's making sure his members don't pay any more, or only slightly more than what they're currently paying.
"In concept, how J.N. is doing this is unique," said Hong. "Other people are discussing similar concepts of extending contracts so they can guarantee their members that health costs don't rise.
"He knows there's an attorney general's opinion that said if those costs are not approved by the Legislature for those bargaining units, conceivably what could happen in July is the employers' share would remain the same and the employees would have to make up the difference in costs, which would be significant."
Musto will submit a formal proposal to the state negotiating team Monday requesting the partial settlement, said Hong.
Hong will be discussing the UHPA position with Lingle. Approval has to come from her for it to work, he said.
"Generally there hasn't been anything we have disagreed on with respect to collective bargaining," Hong said.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
