Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 850 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to repeal mandatory arbitration for collective bargaining units 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 13, and restore the right to strike to these units.

The United Public Workers supported the measure; provided that the measure be amended to repeal the essential worker law.

Your Committees find that up until 1995, all public employees, with the exception of firefighters and police officers, possessed the right to strike. Acts 202 and 208, Session Laws of Hawaii 1995, rescinded that right from collective bargaining units 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 13, and replaced it with mandatory arbitration as the method by which labor disputes were to be resolved.

Your Committees believe that the concept of re-empowering these public employees with the right to strike is worth considering and should be developed further in future discussions of the Legislature. Consequently, your Committees believe that this measure should move forward in the legislative process to serve as a vehicle for further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 850 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.