Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2554 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to fund all collective bargaining cost items in the agreement negotiated with the exclusive bargaining representative of collective bargaining unit 11, firefighters.

In addition, this measure funds the salary increases and other cost adjustments authorized by chapter 89C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for firefighters who are excluded from collective bargaining.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Office of Collective Bargaining and the Hawaii Firefighters Association.

Although no sums have been appropriated or authorized from the sources of funding indicated in this measure, your Committee believes that a vehicle for funding these collective bargaining cost items, salary increases, and other cost adjustments should continue to advance in the Legislature as negotiations between the State and the exclusive bargaining representative for Unit 11 will eventually produce a settlement.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2554 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.