HSTA BOARD RECOMMENDS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT TO HSTA MEMBERS
Statement From Corey Rosenlee, President of the 13,500-Member Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) April 22, 2017
I am pleased that after nine months of negotiations, the state and the HSTA have reached a tentative agreement on a contract that will benefit Hawaii’s teachers and their students.
I believe this agreement is the beginning of providing professional salaries that will attract and retain the best and the brightest into Hawaii’s classrooms.
Hawaii’s public school teachers will see a compounded salary increase of 13.6 percent over the next four years. This raise will help stabilize the teaching force, which we know will improve teaching and learning conditions. This package is the best we could do for our teachers, in spite of the state’s difficult fiscal outlook. It allows for HSTA to renegotiate health plan contributions and professional development in years three and four of the contract.
Under this agreement, we are also pleased that the state is increasing its share of health insurance premiums, addressing rising health care costs.
Teachers will be happy that the agreement calls for streamlined evaluations for most tenured teachers during the next two years while the HSTA and Department of Education work together on an improved evaluation process.
I believe that the reason we have a tentative agreement in large part is because of the ongoing pressure teachers put on the state to settle the contract in the best interests of the teachers and students. HSTA members are very grateful to Gov. David Ige for personally taking part in negotiations over several days to help us reach an agreement that’s fair to everyone.
I am hopeful that HSTA members will vote to ratify the agreement at polling sites across the state on Thursday, April 27. Then we can move toward transforming public education in Hawaii to give our keiki the schools they deserve.
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Note from HSTA: If a simple majority {50 percent plus one vote} of the teachers who vote Thursday ratify the agreement, the contract will begin July 1, 2017. The April 27 vote allows for the Legislature to fund the settlement by its April 28 fiscal deadline.
UPDATE From HSTA April 26, 2017: After school on April 27, the HSTA’s 13,500 members across the state will cast ratification votes at 30 polling places on the four-year contract tentative agreement reached with the State of Hawaii over the weekend. On Oahu, McKinley High is the only school where reporters and news crews will be allowed while teachers are voting. Video and still photos inside the cafeteria/voting area will be prohibited. Later that evening, after the vote, results will be announced and remarks will be provided by HSTA President Corey Rosenlee at the HSTA headquarters.
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GOV. IGE’S STATEMENT REGARDING TODAY’S TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE HAWAII STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
News Release from Office of the Governor, April 22, 2017
“This contract represents my commitment to excellence in our public schools and the practice of teaching. It says we trust and respect Hawaii’s teachers. Together, we will make Hawaii a place our children can choose to call home.” — Gov. David Y. Ige
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SA: The average annual salary for a 10-month teacher for the current school year is $58,959 ($58,959 x 0.136 = $8018.42)
KHON: HTSA said total compensation package for the four-year contract is $100 million. (12,500 teachers x $8,000 = $100M so what they mean is that the HSTA members will rake in $100M per year more than what they are getting now.)
HNN: “it helps to alleviate some of the stress of the evaluation system"
2014: Quid pro Quo? HSTA Endorses Ige for Governor
2014: Ige's Dirty Deal With HSTA: Phony 'Procedural Mixup' Dooms Key Education Measures
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