Sad day in Hawaii
 

Today, the unthinkable happened. 13,000 public school teachers and 4,000 professors in the University of Hawaii system are officially on strike. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif

Almost 200,000 students ranging from Kindergarten all the way to higher education have no class today, thus making Hawaii the only state in the union without public education.

Though I don't have classes today since all my profs belong to the union, I have to report to work since it's going to be business as usual there. They've cautioned us about entering the parking structure since the profs have blocked all university entrances, and they've told us NOT to cross the picket line. It's scary because you don't know what they're capable of doing.

So, for the time being, classes are cancelled (except for the ones taught by non-union members). The teachers union and professors union are not even close to reaching an agreement with the state. High school athletics, proms, etc., have been cancelled until further notice. Luckily, our athletic events have spared on campus, though our profs are probably going to picket at the arena also.

Best of luck to all of you who will finish the semester on time! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

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"Talk doesn't cook rice."--Someone smart

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[This message has been edited by OohTeenyWahine (edited April 05, 2001).]

I'm so sorry to hear about the strike! I knew it was coming. We have alums in Hawaii that have kept us updated on everything happening. Please be careful while at the school, and let us know if anything changes.

In the Greek Bond,
Carrie

OTW! So sorry to hear that! I hope it all gets resolved soon and its back to classes as usual!

I am so sorry. I hope that this does not screw up your graduation. Imagine all the people set to graduate this semester. Hopefully, this will force the Louisiana government to find a way to get more money to pay it's teachers

prospectiverushee, I hear you on that one, girl! Teachers need more money, no matter what the level! Our teachers here are scarily underpaid - especially for the crap they have to put up with in most of the public schools (in the big cities at least)

I am so sorry to hear about the strike. I'm probably way out the loop here, but this is the first I've heard of it. I know teachers just about everywhere are earning way less than what they deserve but can someone give me a brief overview of the Hawaii situation?

I'm so sorry about the state of public eduation in Hawaii. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif. I heard that a window washer makes MORE than a teacher in San Francisco!!!!!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif

now that is just plain ridiculous. Teachers are the ones that are educating us, the ones that are helping us shape our futures!! What kind of world are we living in these days?

P.S...I read about the window washer thing online...Newbie had sent me a link long time ago from her school newspaper, which had done a story on it...Newbie do you have the link still?

Believe it or not OTW, I was going to e-mail you & ask how things were going with the strike situation. teacher's strikes are not fun. I remember the teachers in NJ went on strike when I was in either kindergarten or 1st grade.

Prayerfully, the strike will be resolved soon.

The elementary school/high school teachers and college profs belong to the same union??

Hi guys, thank you so much for all your kind words. Let me give you a brief rundown of what has happened so far.

Most UH professors belong to the UH Professional Assembly (UHPA). Public school teachers have their own union (HSTA).

HSTA has been working without a contract since June 1999 and were promised a pay raise in 1997 when they last threatened to strike. It came to a dramatic ending when they finally settled, at 4:30 in the morning of the scheduled strike. They've seen a slight increase, but not to the extent of what they were promised.

The UH professors haven't gotten a raise since I can't even remember when. In addition to that, they feel that they are being robbed with their member and retirement benefits. The amount of credit hours that professors are required to teach are also in question.

Both sets of teachers are among the lowest (if not the lowest) paid teachers in the entire country. To make matters worse, extensive research was done by our university's most respected and recognized accountants. They discovered that there is indeed enough money to fund pay raises on for both sets of teachers.

Last night it looked like UHPA was going to settle. Their demand is for a 14% pay increase with an additional 1% for merit pay. The state offered 12%, but neglected to provide a solution to the benefits and credit hours problem. UHPA rejected that offer and began their strike this morning. If anything, it's possible that UHPA and the state can settle this sometime soon (I hope).

HSTA demands a 22% pay increase and the state offered 11%. There is a 100 million dollar gap, so it's very unlikely that there can be a resolution to all of this.

Arriving on campus this afternoon was an ordeal. All campus entrances were blocked by picketers. As I approached the parking structure I was verbally assaulted by faculty who thought I was on campus to attend class. Luckily, a kind police officer forced the picketers to let me pass. What disheartens me is that these teachers are taking their frustrations out on the students who have no choice but to be on campus. I was again verbally assaulted as I crossed the picket line in order to go to work.

I am not graduating this semester, but I know a lot of people who are. Commencement exercises have been put on hold. Construction on campus has been put on hold. GAs and TAs are still required to go to work despite the fact that they wholeheartedly support the faculty. Not reporting to work means stiff penalities for them.

I support my teachers and the HSTA 100%. Our idiot of a governor says that there is no money, but we all know that's bull. The cost of living is extremely high, and because of that we have lost thousands of teachers because of inadequate pay. The quality of our education depends on retaining these teachers, and I hope my governor can stand firm to his re-election promise that "EDUCATION COMES FIRST". Still, I've already apologized profusely for voting for him in 1998.

Again, thank you for all your support and for reading my little vent above. I hope this can serve as a lesson to everyone. The HSTA's motto is "EDUCATING TODAY FOR OUR TOMORROW", and I pray that the governor can make that happen.

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"Talk doesn't cook rice."--Someone smart

Visit Alpha Gamma Delta-Delta Sigma chapter!

I am so sorry to hear that the profs are on strike. I was just thinking about that the other day, becasue my college's profs might strike next fall. http://enquirer.com/editions/2001/03...r_expects.html
Let us know how negotiations go.
Heidi

I also forgot to add:

It was by pure coincidence that the both unions decided to strike on April 5. UHPA and HSTA have both voiced support for each other but they are in no way working with each other to get what they want.

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"Talk doesn't cook rice."--Someone smart

Visit Alpha Gamma Delta-Delta Sigma chapter!

Salaries for teachers truly are bad there. My husband wanted us to take the whole crew to Hawaii and get teaching jobs there...until he saw a pay scale. Even with my Ph.D., I would've been making a heck of a lot less than I do in Georgia! And with the price of housing in Hawaii...well, I miss Hawaii a bunch but I believe we'll stay in the Peach State!

At least you don't have a transit strike, doc/nurses strike and a teachers strike all at the same time...

Nurses and bus drivers have threatened to strike before, but thankfully things were resolved before they actually walked out on the job.

My mom's a travel industry employee, and she says that the hotel workers are considering walking off the job in the near future. Hotel management has been hiring sub-contracted workers, and union members aren't too happy about that. The last time the hotel employees went on strike was in 1990, and it crippled the industry. Being that tourism is our #1 industry, management has to take this seriously.

To make things worse, the government employees are now in negotiations with the state concerning their contract. They last went on strike in 1994, and that was a horrible, horrible time. HSTA, UHPA, and the HGEA all endorsed our governor as he ran for re-election in 1998, and this is the thanks they get!

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"Talk doesn't cook rice."--Someone smart

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