Governor Statement on HSTA Mediation Outcome

News Release from www.Hawaii.gov/gov October 4, 2012

HONOLULU – On August 20, 2012 the Hawai'i State Teachers Association (HSTA) and the State of Hawai'i agreed to engage the help of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to resolve our differences for the sake of students and school teachers. Today, the Federal Mediator informed the State that HSTA will no longer continue that process of mediation.

Governor Neil Abercrombie released the following statement:

“The Federal Mediator has informed us that HSTA is ending their participation in mediation. I am very disappointed that HSTA once again is not willing to engage in discussions that could resolve outstanding issues.“For many months, we repeatedly asked HSTA to come to the table to have meaningful and good-faith negotiations. When they refused to participate in negotiations, we agreed on Federal Mediation as a way to move forward and resolve our differences.

“We continue to remain willing to engage in mediation. It is impossible to negotiate with people who refuse to talk.”

For a timeline of events concerning the State’s interaction with HSTA, please visit here.

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Honolulu Magazine: How HSTA, DoE Gave us Furlough Fridays

August 17, 2012: AUDIO: Abercrombie Voicemail Message to HSTA, Mediation Proposed

HSTA Mediation Not Fruitful, Asks Supreme Court Order HRLB to Issue Decision

SA: It has been four months since the teachers union wrapped up a prohibited-practice case before the Hawaii Labor Relations Board — more than enough time, the union argues, for the board to decide whether the state violated members' rights when it imposed a contract in July 2011.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association has asked the state Supreme Court to compel the labor board to issue a quick ruling in the case.

HSTA officials say in the absence of a ruling, the union can't move forward —with either taking the case to state Circuit Court or exercising members' right to strike, or both….

The call for a ruling in the labor board case comes as the state and HSTA remain mum about the status of federal mediation.

The two sides agreed not to speak publicly about the status of contract talks when they entered mediation in late August.

But word has been spreading through the teaching ranks that mediation appears to have been a bust.

Several teachers said they have been informed mediation produced no results, and a HSTA-Windward chapter newsletter from last month appears to bolster those claims.

The newsletter said that as of Sept. 7, "mediation did not prove fruitful and concluded without resolution."

(They are setting up for another political strike in time for the 2014 gubernatorial election)

FULL TEXT: View Petition Mandamus 9-28-12 on Scribd

read … Union wants ruling on teachers' rights