HSTA government relations specialist brings lobbying, labor relations experience

The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is pleased to welcome Jason Bradshaw as its new government relations specialist.

Bradshaw comes to the union with over 17 years of experience in labor relations, government affairs, and political campaigning in Hawaiʻi.

In his new role which he began on April 2, Bradshaw says one of his top priorities is advocating for higher pay and affordable housing for teachers.

“We need to come up with a solution soon, or we’re going to see even more teachers leaving the profession. It’s a detriment to our students as well as a detriment to our future,” he said.

Bradshaw says government relations and legislative work is vital to education because “we serve public sector workers. So it’s the Legislature that’s going to determine whether teachers are going to get higher pay, whether they’re going to get higher benefits, whether we’re going to have the affordable housing teachers need to be able to succeed.”

Government relations is important because “it builds relationships with elected officials — the senators, the representatives, the governor, lieutenant governor, council members — to be able to see that we can accomplish those goals,” Bradshaw explained.

Born and raised on Oʻahu, Bradshaw attended Kailua Elementary, Kailua Intermediate, and Kalāheo High schools. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Arizona University. In college, he interned for U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka in Washington, D.C.

Growing up in a “strong union family,” Bradshaw always knew he wanted to do something in politics and unions. His father worked first as a construction worker, and then joined the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Local 293, eventually working his way up to serving as the business manager.

Upon graduating from college, Bradshaw worked on Akaka’s successful U.S. Senate re-election campaign, a race Bradshaw called “really competitive.”

He then joined U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye in Washington, D.C. as a staff assistant before returning to Hawaiʻi to become the political director for the Hawaiʻi State AFL-CIO, a position he held for 11 years.

“It’s what I wanted to do. Work on the union side, work on the advocacy side, and fight for the interest of working families,” Bradshaw said.

As political director, Bradshaw represented more than 68,000 union members statewide and was responsible for drafting legislative testimony, testifying at hearings on key bills, lobbying legislators and the communities on the importance of labor legislation, and overseeing political campaigns for endorsed candidates.

Looking for a new opportunity, Bradshaw became a legislative representative for the ILWU Local 142 in Honolulu, representing workers in various industries, such as auto technicians, truck drivers, hotel bell staff and wait staff, heavy equipment operators, and housekeepers.

He oversaw the union’s political and legislative program, which resulted in impactful and supportive legislation for members.

Prior to joining the HSTA, Bradshaw served as a government affairs representative with the Hawaiʻi Ironworkers Stabilization Fund, where most notably, he helped with the passage of legislation that increased the minimum wage.

Bradshaw’s extensive lobbying experience with various private and public unions in the state afforded him the opportunity to meet and work with many labor leaders and organizations, enabling him to draw upon their knowledge and insights about the legislative process and to know it “inside and out.”

In his free time, Bradshaw loves to play golf and travel. His favorite destination is Egypt, and he looks forward to more international travel in the future.

Bradshaw replaces Mitzie Higa, HSTA’s former government relations specialist who continues advocating for educators in her new position as a licensing specialist at the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board.