UH faculty approve new contract overwhelming majority approve early settlement

UH News, Oct 21, 2024 

The University of Hawaiʻi faculty have voted overwhelmingly in favor of approving their new successor contract.The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA), the exclusive bargaining agent for 3,300 faculty members at the University of Hawaiʻi system’s 10 campuses statewide, held an electronic vote that ended on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 5 pm.

The new two-year contract will begin July 1, 2025 to coincide with the start of the new state fiscal year. The new agreement comes more than eight months before the current contract expires. Their current contract expires on June 30, 2025.

“I would like to thank the UHPA negotiations committee and all of those who worked so hard to get us to this point,” said UHPA President Karla Hayashi. “The faculty recognize there are many uncertainties at the national and local level and that settling early allows us to focus on teaching, research and continuing to contribute to the UH’s role as an economic engine for our state.”

The collective bargaining agreement was approved by multiple parties: UHPA, which represents the UH faculty, the governor, the UH president and the UH Board of Regents.

The new contract mirrors the last two years (2025–2027) of the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association (HSTA) agreement with the state that extends through June 2027. The agreement includes a 3.5% wage increase in the first year and a 3.79% increase in the second year.

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Tentative Agreement Reached on UH Faculty Contract Months Ahead of Deadline

University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly to Hold Ratification Vote for an Early Settlement

News Release from Office of the Governor, October 11, 2024

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., University of Hawai’i President David Lassner, and the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement for UH faculty represented by the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA). The tentative agreement comes more than eight months before the current contract expires.

The current contract for the UH faculty expires June 30, 2025. The new two-year contract will begin July 1, 2025, to coincide with the start of a new state fiscal year.

Faculty will vote electronically on the tentative agreement from Tuesday, October 15, through 5:00 p.m, Thursday, October 17, 2024.

The collective bargaining agreement is a multi-party contract involving the Governor, UH president, the Board of Regents and UHPA. All must agree to the terms and conditions of the contract.

The new contract mirrors the last two years (2025-2027) of the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association (HSTA) agreement with the state that extends through June 2027. The agreement includes a 3.5% wage increase in the first year and a 3.79% increase in the second year.

“The role of the University of Hawaiʻi is absolutely critical to ensuring a thriving and healthy future for our state. UH is an economic driver for everyone in Hawai‘i,” said Governor Green. “This agreement will allow us to attract and retain the great faculty we need who can develop our future leaders and citizens as they work to address the greatest challenges and opportunities we face.”

“We are deeply grateful to Governor Green, UHPA and their teams for this positive collaborative outcome that will provide well-deserved increases for our hard-working faculty members,” said UH President David Lassner. “This will ensure stability in our relationship as a new president takes the helm of the UH system and enable our faculty to focus on the incredible work they do each and every day across instruction, research and service with and for our students and communities throughout our islands.”

“Reaching a tentative agreement more than half a year before the expiration of the current contract is a testament to the power of collaboration,“ said Christian Fern, executive director of UHPA, the exclusive bargaining agent for 3,300 faculty across all 10 UH campuses statewide. “With the uncertainties ahead, we appreciate Governor Green, President Lassner, and the Board of Regents for offering this package to the faculty early to provide a fair and equitable proposal for our members to vote on so that we can focus our collective efforts on making Hawai’i a better place to live and work, now and for future generations.”

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About the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly
The University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA) has been the exclusive bargaining agent for all UH faculty since 1974 and currently represents about 3,300 faculty members at 10 campuses in the University of Hawai‘i system statewide. UHPA affiliated with AFT in April, 2024.

About AFT 
AFT is part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Labor Organizations (AFL-CIO), which comprises 60 national and international labor unions with a combined membership of 12.5 million members. It is the largest higher education union in the country, representing 70 percent of all unionized faculty. AFT is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities.

About the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System
The 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi System is Hawaiʻi’s sole provider of public higher education and is currently serving more than 50,000 students. It fulfills its mission through seven community colleges, two regional universities and a globally-acclaimed research university with education and nine research centers throughout the state. Striving to be grounded in traditional Hawaiian values, UH offers unique opportunities to meet the needs of the people and islands it serves from workforce training to preeminent academic programs, while also serving as a forward-looking economic engine driving hubs of innovation and research.

KHON: New tentative agreement to help 'attract, retain' UH faculty (khon2.com)

CB:  Tentative Agreement Reached On UH Faculty Contract 

SA: University of Hawaii faculty to hold early contract ratification vote