HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0582.013 1996-1998
T0: ~tta3rpe~gon and Members of the Hawaii County Council
'~i `
i tJ}:., 1 4.. ~ r, -
FROM: Patrick~eely, Principal of Chiefess Kapiolani EYeine`ntar'y School
Hawaii Chairperson of Uni(t•,---06 (Educational Officers)HGEA
C7L~~.~ ~
SUBJECT: Testimony in Favor of HGEA Pay Raise
I appreciate that I have an opportunity today to offer testimony in favor of
the pay raise for fellow HGEA members. A serious concern I have is that we are
dealing with far more than just a pay raise - we are dealing with contracts
of individuals state-wide. Should you vote down approval of the pay raise, it
may well affect every contract of every HGEA member in the state.
Allow me to give you an example of what may happen if the pay raise is not
approved. Failure to approve the pay raise makes all contract negotiations
invalid. All units may have to go back to the bargaining table. Should this
happen, it readily places the seven extra school days for 1998 - 1999 school
year in jeopardy because that is a vital part of the Unit 06 contract settle-
ment, as well as for the cafeteria managers, educational assistants, and,
possibly, even teachers. I am not stating this as a threat; it is a fact. Our
98 - 99 calendar is already out. We begin our school planning and budgeting
for 98 - 99 as early as January and should we not have a stable calendar, it
becomes a difficult process to open school.
We, as HGEA members in good faith, accepted your offer of a pay raise.
If this was not your understanding of the negotiations that were taking place,
if you were not in favor of this management offer, then it should have been voiced
at the negotiating table. It seems to me that we are being held the scape goat for
a failure by your negotiations representative at the bargaining table.
x0. 8"82. l3
ru. x.. 'PO s
]e(, ~ R'~senfwil COJNC l~
~ DEC 1 7 1997.