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r''r Working Together LOCAL 152. AFL-CIO for Hawaii ~ 3~~ v / / Hawaii Government Employees Association- 495 Manono Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, Phone (808) 935-6841, NAX (808) 961-2437 December 17, 19 7~~~ 1 CC:'J~ . ~ , ~ Testimony of Gary Yoshiyama, Hawaii Division Chief, in suaaort of Resolution fiTo. 185-97 relatina to fundine cost items for barsainin¢ units 03, 04, 63 and 84 Good morning. My name is Gary Yoshiyama. I serve as the Hawaii Division Chief for the Hawaii Government Employees' Association. I am speaking in favor of and seek your support of Resolution No. 185-97 relating to funding cost items for bargaining units 03, 04, 63 and 84. Our Union has for more than a quarter of a century honored the public policy on settling our collective bargaining contracts. That public policy is outlined in Chapter 89 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Time and again we reached mutual agreement with the public employers. The public employers have submitted the cost items to the appropriate legislative bodies and those legislative bodies have fixnded our mutual agreements. We have once again negotiated in good faith with the public employers and reached a mutual agreement. However at this late juncture in this process a new concern has been raised and threatens funding for all pending contracts. Some council members have raised the concern that the County Council has not been provided timely information while the negotiations process was ongoing and the possibility that the negotiations process is in need of change. Prior to 1970, Hawaii's Territorial and State public policy was to discuss and approve pay related matters at the legislative level, be it the Territorial or State legislature, be it the Board of Supervisors or Council at the County level. There were exceptions whereby a legislative body authorized the governor or a mayor to study the issue and establish a fair and equitable pay rate or level. A major shift happened in 1970, the Hawaii Public Sector Collective Bargaining Law (Chapter 89, Hawaii Revised Statute) was enacted by the State Legislature. From that time to the present day, discussion, negotiations, and agreements (and sometime final and binding arbitration) took place between and at the level of the public employers and employees (through the employees' exclusive representatives). It is regrettable that you weren't in possession of timely information. The Unions are not able to explain why you weren't included, why you didn't obtain information or why you weren't provided information. HGEA has fulfilled its responsibilities in obtaining input from our members prior to 1 ~a Sgz . 03 m. x.. _ rOJ L!. !bi Preeen/ed ca~u~ iAet Hate DEC 1~