UPW members get 5% raises in each of 2 years
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
State prison guards, emergency service workers and licensed nurses will receive 5 percent raises this year and next under recent arbitration, leaving other government workers to ponder what sort of contracts they will get.
The new contract for 2,600 members of United Public Workers Unit 10 will cost the state and counties $5.2 million this year and $10.3 million next year, state labor negotiator Ted Hong said. The contract is retroactive to July 1, 2003 and runs through June 30, 2005.
The UPW members also would get an additional $7 a month under the decision.
The pay for tens of thousands of state and county workers who belong to some of the state's largest public worker unions remains unresolved and is a source of concern to Gov. Linda Lingle.
"I would expect a settlement with any union impacts all of the others," Lingle said yesterday.
The governor reiterated her position that employees who fall under homeland security or public safety job categories should get priority for raises over employees in such as categories as clerical work.
Lingle also maintained her stance that the Hawai'i Hurricane Relief Fund and the so-called Rainy Day Fund "are not places to look for additional revenue." Neither of those funds, she said, are sources of recurring revenue to pay for what are annual costs.
On Monday, the state and counties entered binding arbitration with the Hawai'i Government Employees Association, which represents most of the state's white-collar workers in bargaining units 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 13. The arbitration started after the two sides failed to reach a settlement.
The union is seeking 4 percent raises in each of two years, as well as step increases. The state, according to an HGEA official, has proposed no raise the first year and a 1 percent increase the second year.
Wages and benefits for other bargaining units still are in negotiations, including the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, which represents about 12,000 state employees, and the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly, which speaks for more than 3,000 UH faculty and others.
UHPA is seeking a 6 percent pay hike, retroactive to July 1, 2003, and an 8 percent increase on July 1 of this year.
