The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) is pleased to report a positive development in our prohibited practice complaint (PPC) regarding the state’s refusal to bargain over rapidly changing coronavirus threats to our members.
On Thursday, representatives of the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) reached out to HSTA to inquire if we would be willing to go back to the table and negotiate. HSTA was pleased with this development, since we have maintained all along that negotiations are necessary to address changing working conditions.
The HSTA and HIDOE reached a stipulated agreement to stay, or place on hold, future Hawaii Labor Relations Board (HLRB) hearings related to the PPC pending further negotiations between the parties. The HLRB issued an order approving this stipulation, and HSTA expects to set bargaining dates with the HIDOE in the coming days.
“This development does not mean that our PPC is off the table,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee. “It just means that we have paused the proceedings in the hopes that we can engage in good faith negotiations over the changing impacts to bargaining unit work during this coronavirus pandemic.”