RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, negotiations between the State and the Hawaii State Teachers Association are at an impasse; and

WHEREAS, the president of the teachers union said its message to the public has been clear: "The State's salary proposal does not go far enough to attract and keep qualified teachers in Hawaii at a time of a shortage of teachers"; and

WHEREAS, on March 14th, teachers will be casting their strike authorization votes and it is anticipated that a strike, set for April 5th, will be authorized by an overwhelming majority; and

WHEREAS, negotiations between the University of Hawaii Professional Association and the State are also at impasse and University faculty members are scheduled to take their strike authorization vote on March 26th and 27th; and

WHEREAS, there is unrest among public employees in bargaining units represented by the Hawaii Government Employees Association since their arbitrated salary increases have yet to be funded; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature is concerned that strikes by state teachers and University faculty could cause irreparable harm to Hawaii's economy and education system and further demoralize public employees in other bargaining units awaiting funding of their arbitrated salary increases; and

WHEREAS, the Governor has the power to resolve the public employee contract disputes and prevent these strikes; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, the Governor is requested to reopen negotiations and find reasonable means to resolve the dispute quickly in order to avoid strikes by the teachers and University faculty; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested and to recognize the arbitrated contracts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the

Department of Education, Hawaii Government Employee Association, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.