Jill Meinecke2026-03-23T08:22:35-10:00March 21, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, Hawaiʻi public school teachers, HSTA, HSTA contract, Joan Husted, Know Your Rights, Negotiations, rally, State Capitol, strike|
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is proud to bring back the “Know Your Rights” column dedicated to helping Bargaining Unit 05 educators understand the rights we have secured in our contract and how to use them every day.
Jill Meinecke2026-03-11T10:22:04-10:00March 11, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, compression, compression fix, Hawaii Labor Relations Board, HIDOE, HLRB, out of state experience, prior experience, repricing|
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is demanding a response and information from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education after a judge's decision which clears the way for more than 2,200 public school teachers to receive service credit for teaching experience outside the department that would result in raises worth thousands of dollars.
Jill Meinecke2026-03-06T14:58:17-10:00March 6, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, Colleen Hanabusa, compression, Congresswoman Hanabusa, Corey Rosenlee, Gov. Josh Green, HSTSO, Osa Tui, Sen. Hanabusa, Senate, Senate majority leader, Wilbert Holck|
Colleen Hanabusa, a trailblazing lawmaker and longtime champion of public educators, the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, and unionized labor, died after a five-month battle with cancer early Friday. She was 74.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-05T14:26:07-10:00February 5, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, board of directors, EUTF, Government Relations Committee, HEA, HIDOE, HSTA governance, HSTA leader, HTSB, instructional coach, Joan Lewis, Kapolei High, Leeward, Nānākuli High and Intermediate School, strike, VEBA|
Joan Kamila Lewis, a veteran public school mentor teacher, instructional coach, administrator, and longtime Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association governance leader began work this week as HSTA’s deputy executive director.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-05T08:48:09-10:00February 4, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, bargaining, bargaining team, chief negotiator, Colleen Bird, contract negotiations, HIDOE, Jr., Negotiations, Osa Tui, research|
Colleen Bird, who has served as the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association’s negotiations and research specialist for more than five years, has been promoted to become the union's chief negotiator.
Jill Meinecke2025-09-05T16:00:10-10:00September 5, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, Hawaii Department of Education, Hawaii public schools, HIDOE, HSTA executive director, HSTA staff, Joan Lewis, Negotiations, Osa Tui, Pearl City High, School Level Leader|
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association Board of Directors has appointed Andrea Eshelman as HSTA’s next executive director. She brings nearly three decades of experience as a public school teacher, union leader, manager and chief negotiator to her new position.
Jill Meinecke2025-07-21T13:57:37-10:00May 21, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: ACLU Hawaii, Andrea Eshelman, Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, HIDOE, ICE, ICE raids, immigration, Keith Hayashi, Osa Tui, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda|
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association partnered with U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D, Hawaiʻi), the ACLU Hawaiʻi, and the Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights to present a virtual Know Your Rights for Educators: Immigration Enforcement session.
Jill Meinecke2025-05-14T13:06:01-10:00May 14, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, HIBOE, HIDOE, ICE, immigration enforcement, Immigration guidance, Jill Tokuda, Keith Hayashi, Plyler v. DOE, Roy Takumi|
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is asking the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education to affirm that it won’t retaliate or discipline school employees who refuse to participate in immigration enforcement. The union also wants HIDOE to require administrators to be trained on immigration enforcement issues.
Jill Meinecke2025-03-14T14:19:28-10:00March 14, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, Hawaiʻi Board of Education, Ho’oha‘aheo newsletter, ICE, Immigration guidance, Keith Hayashi, Konawaena Elementary, Sarah Milianta-Laffin, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|
The teachers union told the schools superintendent Friday that educators across the state need clear direction on how to address fears about federal immigration enforcement involving public school students on and off campus.
Jill Meinecke2024-11-07T14:44:19-10:00November 7, 2024|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, Bargaining Unit 05, BU 05, Chapter 89, collective bargaining, compression, Hawaiʻi Labor Relations Board, Hawaii State Department of Education, HIDOE, Jr., Osa Tui|
The Hawaiʻi Labor Relations Board (HLRB) last week ruled in favor of three teachers who brought a case related to the Fall 2022 repricing of Bargaining Unit 05 (BU 05) employees carried out by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE).
