Automatic teacher annual step increase proposals advance
Key state Senate and House committees have advanced proposals to establish annual step salary increases for public and charter school teachers.
Teachers not eligible for COVID-19 hazard pay
While an arbitrator has ruled that as many as 7,800 public school employees, such as school nurses and educational assistants, are eligible for hazard pay for working during the pandemic, public school teachers do not have a hazard pay clause in their contract.
Tentative agreement would raise pay for educational assistants, vice principals
Salaries for nearly 3,000 educational assistants and vice principals in Hawai‘i public schools would increase under a tentative agreement announced Thursday that will help combat chronic staff shortages.
Hawaii public schools experiencing staffing shortages due to omicron variant
With the recent surge in omicron-variant COVID-19 cases in the islands, Hawaii public schools saw 1,600 staff absences Wednesday, the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) revealed in a press conference.
HSTA joins other unions in demanding bargaining on key vaccination questions
“The public-sector unions reached out to the governor’s office earlier this week to initiate discussions about the vaccine mandate, but our request was denied. We will continue to fight for open discussions about these important decisions that affect public employees, our government operations, and our community.”
BOE testimony overwhelmingly opposes superintendent’s reappointment
An overwhelming number of people who submitted written testimony to the Hawaii Board of Education as of midday Wednesday asked the BOE not to renew the contract of Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto.
Proposal to add nonvoting teacher member to Board of Education passes first hurdle
The Hawaii State Teachers Association’s proposal to add a nonvoting member to the Board of Education who is a public school teacher received initial approval from the state House Education Committee Thursday.
Joint statement: Governor creates chaos and confusion with badly planned furlough rollout
One day after Gov. David Ige announced plans to furlough tens of thousands of employees in his state workforce, details are emerging showing the so-called plan actually isn’t one.
HSTA, HGEA, UHPA, UPW issue joint statement on furloughs
The Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA), the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA), and the United Public Workers (UPW) stand in strong opposition to Gov. David Ige’s plan to unilaterally implement furloughs starting in January 2021.