No HGEA pay decision until Monday

Advertiser Staff

A three-member arbitration panel has postponed until Monday the release of its decision on raises for about 23,000 members of the Hawai'i Government Employees Association, said Ted Hong, chief state negotiator.

It was the second delay for the decision, which had been due Tuesday and then put off until today.

"They are haggling over the language," he said. "They're up to Page 40. They may be midway through it."

The dispute has left considerable uncertainty about city and state budgets for this year and next.

The state has offered no pay raises in the first year and 1 percent in the second year.

The union wants 4 percent raises, including "steps" that allow employees to move up pay categories based on years of service, in each of the two years.