Posted on: Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Union sues Lingle over veto

Advertiser Staff

A union hoping to represent substitute public school teachers is suing Gov. Linda Lingle, claiming she waited too long to veto a measure approved by the 2003 Legislature that gives the teachers the right to engage in collective bargaining.

The lawsuit was filed in Circuit Court yesterday on behalf of the Laborers International Union of North America, Local 368, and Patricia Kuroiwa, a Department of Education certified substitute teacher.

Local 368 began efforts to organize Hawai'i's substitute teachers in March 2002 and submitted proposed legislation during the 2003 Legislature to allow for the formation of Bargaining Unit 14, under state law.

The lawsuit claims Lingle was a day late in vetoing the measure and that the measure, therefore, became law without her signature.