TOM YAMACHIKA
The path leading to how to fix our battered economy has taken some crazy twists and turns.
Governor Ige, first, announced that he will furlough all state workers for two days a month to chop down the expenses required in state government.
The government employee unions cried foul, saying that the collective bargaining agreements and the laws empowering them prevent such a thing without the unions agreeing to them at the bargaining table.
The Governor, however, in his Emergency Proclamations, most recently the Seventeenth, suspended the collective bargaining laws. Those proclamations suspend all of chapter 89, HRS. They say, “The following specific provisions of law are suspended, as allowed by federal law . . . Chapter 89, HRS, collective bargaining in public employment.”
Collective Bargaining Agreement: Supreme Law of the Land? hawaiireporter.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hawaiireporter.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Hawaii’s 13,000-member teachers’ union has filed a complaint over the “unilateral imposition” of furloughs that are scheduled to start for public school employees on Jan. 4.
The prohibited practice complaint filed by the Hawaii State Teachers Association with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board says that the state does not have the authority to impose furloughs without bargaining, since HSTA has a contract in place until June 30, 2021.
“Collective bargaining is enshrined in Hawaii’s constitution, and contracts cannot be dismissed when the governor considers them inconvenient. Otherwise, why have a contract?” HSTA President Corey Rosenlee said in a news release Friday evening. “If these illegal furloughs are implemented, Gov. Ige would be the third governor in a row to cut teacher pay. Such a move would be bad for education, worsen Hawaii’s teacher shortage crisis and ultimately hurt our keiki.”
Hawaii State Teachers Association taking legal action over upcoming furloughs kesq.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kesq.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.