Statement from Wil Okabe, President of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Regarding Negotiations and HSTA Proposal to State

News Release from HSTA January 11, 2013

“Today, the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the State returned to the bargaining table. HSTA came to the table with a proposal based on an honest assessment of where the Educator Effectiveness System currently stands and a compensation package that reflects what the State has committed to other public service workers. HSTA also took into consideration the current and projected economic forecast for the State of Hawaii.”

“Based on our findings, HSTA sees the opportunity for Hawaii to be the leader in creating an education model that could lend itself to being used, nationwide. In collaboration with the Department of Education, HSTA wants to ensure the system both supports and sustains teachers and provides them the opportunities to become stronger, better teachers for our students. HSTA believes that a fair and effective evaluation system benefits the profession, the professionals and most importantly the students.”

“HSTA proposed to the State that we work collaboratively for an extra year with the Pilot Program, so that we may build the system right. This will include that we revisit with the State, each year, the performance of the EES to make adjustments according to our findings. Not only is this a solid way to build a truly effective system, it is at the heart of how good teaching works. This is going to affect students’ learning environments and teachers’ working environments for years to come.”

“Just as Hawaii’s teachers are open to working with the DOE in producing a truly effective evaluation system, teachers are willing to work with the DOE in securing funds from legislation to bring teachers the wages that reflect the value of the teaching profession. This is about fairness and equity.“

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FULL TEXT: HSTA Contract Proposal

Teachers want 4%, 4 years; tab extra $440 million

KHON: The public school teachers union is asking for pay raises of four percent in each of the next four years, and says they'll help secure extra money to fund it at the legislature.

The state estimates such a deal including other benefits sought would cost $440 million….

HSTA came back to the contract bargaining table with the state on Friday after a one-month break. In the union's first proposal since rejecting other state offers, the HSTA put forth a four-year deal instead of two years, with four percent raises annually, and the state picking up 60 percent of the medical premium cost instead of the current 50-50. They say a recent UPW arbitration award sets a precedent.

As KHON2 first reported, a draft arbitration award gave UPW a 3.2 percent raise, on top of not having had to take the five percent pay cut many other unions agreed to in negotiations, and UPW retained a better share of health premium costs (Link HERE)….

The union also called for safeguards in a teacher evaluation process piloted at about 80 schools so far….

Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi told KHON2: “The proposed terms that were presented to the state's negotiating team requires a thorough review. We remain committed to reaching a resolution."

The governor’s proposed budget already accounts for restoring the five percent pay cuts many other public workers agreed to take in the last biennium, but the four percent the teachers seek is above that restored base. The HSTA offer would allow for recapture of the base along with the raises over the course of the 2013-15 budgets.

State budget director Kalbert Young told KHON2 he had not yet seen the HSTA proposal, but said based on the numbers reported, the four-percent-above-restored-base would cost an extra $320 million in raises and $120 million in additional medical premiums, for a total of $440 million extra over the next four years. He said if every union were to get the same raises and benefits, it would cost the state an extra $1.4 billion beyond the budget: $1 billion in wages and $400 million in medical premiums….

As Predicted: Four of a Kind: UPW, UHPA get big Fat Pay Raise—and HSTA suit could give one to HGEA 

FULL TEXT: HSTA Contract Proposal

HSTA Survey: "Hawaii teachers welcome an evaluation process"

HSTA: Another Union Soon to Win Big Arbitration Award

read … $440M for HSTA