HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0582.022 1996-1998 Working Together LOCAL 152, AFL-CIO ~
for Hawaii ~ ~ 9
Hawaii Government Employees Association
495 Manono Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, Phone (808) 935-6841, FAX (80$) 961-2437
Testimony of BJ Soriano, Unit 03 Member, HG??A~AFS~CME
HGEA Hawaii Island Division Community Action Chairperson
CC;., _ ~ ,
Good morning Councilmen and Councilwoman:
My name is BJ Soriano. I am currently employed as a Secretary with the Department of
Labor, Workforce Development Division. Some of our functions within our division include
training individuals to enter and thrive in our workforce and serve as a labor exchange
matching and placing clients in jobs.
As an employee of this division, I am fully aware how our labor market is out there.
know that jobs are scarce and layoffs are many. It is also true that there is a mismatch
of jobs versus job seekers, making our economic picture more bleak and our
unemployment figures here in our County very high (at its' current 9% (October figures).
As if this is not enough, there are many individuals who are underemployed.
Underemployed means that these individuals are not making enough money to live by,
for reasons such as wages being too low, benefits not sufficient, housing too expensive,
or the cost of living in general skyrocketing in leaps and bounds.
Without divulging just who comes into our office to seek work because it is confidential,
I can safely tell you that there are many government employees who are employed in
second jobs or seeking supplemental work. While the reasons for seeking other
employment is a personal one, it would be a safe assumption to state that the reasons
I mentioned are some of the reasons that they seeking supplemental work.
In addition to being a government employee, I volunteer much of my time in our
community, trying to help those that are less fortunate. I give of my talent, my time and
my money to our community. There are many government employees who also volunteer
in our community. They, too, give much of their personal resources to help others. The
HGEA has its own Community Action Committee, for the purpose of giving a helping hand
to the hungry, the sick, and the dying. So you see, that when you get down to it, you
could say that our salaries contribute to many of the unemployed, underemployed and
low-income population. By not funding our raises, more and more of us may become
underemployed, and instead of working towards a healthier and more prosperous
community, we will find ourselves spiraling downward towards a more depressed state
of being.
I ask for your consideration. Please vote in favor to fund Unit 03 and Unit 04's Hawaii
Government Employees Association raises.
HJ EArIUn~ 03 Member let ~ rese` "t@d ~s
ttit. n.s~ p~ Z 71991