The Hawaii State Teachers Association and the State of Hawaii government have reached a tentative agreement yesterday that will provide teachers a new six year contract. Within the contract, teachers will still experience furlough days and pay cuts which will be equivalent to an approximate 5 percent reduction of wages and teachers will be required to pay 50 percent of their health insurance premiums. However, the new contract will also offer a new salary schedule with slight pay increases in the last few years of the contract. HSTA President Wil Okabe stated, "This particular contract opens the door by guaranteeing that teachers will do better as Hawaii's economy gets better. The contract definitely shows that the state puts children first." The contract will still have to be ratified by the teachers themselves.
Governor Neil Abercrombie, schools Superintendent Kathyrn Matayoshi and Board of Education Chairman Don Horner released a joint statement which said, "Our focus remains on working together to ensure Hawaii will secure its Race to the Top grant, which lays the foundation for transforming student learning." Spokeswoman for Governor Abercrombie, Donalyn Dela Cruz, added, "Everyone sees the need to move this forward, and people are in agreement that the obligation is to the children. We've reached an agreement in principle. We're looking forward to ratification."
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 1-7-2012, www.staradvertiser.com Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor Global Executive Realty, LLC www.myhawaiihomesearch.com www.myhawaiicondo.com www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
