January Bus Pass

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Aloha,

This message is for employees who are participating in the bus pass program. 

Employees may pick-up the January 2012 bus pass tomorrow, December 15, and on Friday, December 16, 2011.  The UHM Parking Office will be closed during the last two (2) weeks of December due to the supplemental time off days and/or “power down” initiative.  Employees may resume pick-up on January 3, 2012. 

Mānoa campus employees are to pick-up their bus pass at the Mānoa parking office located on the ground level of the Queen Lili‘uokalani Center. 

Community College employees on O‘ahu are to pick up their bus pass in accordance with established campus procedures.  See your human resources representative. 

Thank you.

 

Clifford Shinchi
Human Resources Specialist
University of Hawai’i
Office of Human Resources
Phone: (808) 956-8607
Fax: (808) 956-3952
http://www.hawaii.edu/ohr

 

EUTF Health Plan Effective January 1, 2012 – Adding Civil Union Partners

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Aloha,

Effective January 1, 2012, the HMSA and Kaiser will be providing the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) medical plans and the Royal State National Insurance Company the life insurance plan.  The HMA and Standard Life Insurance will no longer be EUTF service providers.  For your information:

1.     The life insurance beneficiary designation information will transfer from Standard Life Insurance to Royal State National Insurance Co.

2.     The MEDEX Travel Assist will no longer be offered as part of the life insurance plan.

3.     The InformedRX will continue to be the prescription drug carrier until the EUTF announces the change to CVS Caremark.  There will be no change in rates and no lapse in coverage when the EUTF transitions from informedRx to CVS Caremark.  More information is forthcoming.

4.     There will be no change to the dental and vision plans.

5.     The health care coverage will be effective for a period of 18 months, January 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.

In addition, starting January 1, 2012, employees will be able to cover their civil union partner and eligible civil union partner’s dependents under the medical, prescription drug, dental, vision and chiropractic plans.  The EUTF has prepared a memo detailing the procedures to add a civil union partner and eligible civil union partner’s dependents to the plan: http://www.hawaii.edu/ohr/downtemp/Adding%20Civil%20Union%20Partners%20memo.pdf.  The updated forms will be available on the EUTF website shortly.

Please periodically check the EUTF’s website for updates: http://eutf.hawaii.gov.  Should you have any questions, please contact the EUTF at 586-7390 or via email at EUTF@hawaii.gov.

Happy Holidays.

 

Clifford Shinchi
Human Resources Specialist
University of Hawai’i
Office of Human Resources
Phone: (808) 956-8607
Fax: (808) 956-3952
http://www.hawaii.edu/ohr

 

UC-Riverside Faculty Association Supports CSU Strike at the Dominguez Hills Campus

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UC Riverside Faculty Association Statement in Support of Striking Colleagues at CSU Dominguez Hills and East Bay

On November 17, 2011, the California Faculty Association, which represents over 20,000 tenure-track and contingent faculty at 23 California State University campuses, will stage one-day strikes at CSU East Bay and CSU Dominguez Hills.

In 2008-09 and 2009-10, California State University faculty were denied contractually guaranteed salary increases because of the state’s ongoing budget crisis. Two independent fact-finders agreed with CFA that the CSU has the resources to pay portions of these increases that were designed to reduce salary disparities among faculty, but the CSU has refused. However, the strikes take place in the context of ongoing bargaining for a new contract, in which the CSU has rebuffed even modest salary and workload proposals, while pursuing a series of “take-backs,” including an assault on the system of three-year contracts for long-term contingent faculty.

The Riverside Faculty Association, an affiliate of the Council of UC Faculty Associations, hereby records its support for CFA’s strike action. We believe the real underlying issues in the CSU and the UC concern the very future of public higher education in California, and we declare our solidarity with our colleagues at CSU.

Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test

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This system test is the first of its kind designed to broadcast a nationwide message to the American public.  In the history of the country, nothing like it has been conducted on such a level.  As you may be aware, there have been tests in the past, but not of this magnitude encompassing all regions of the Nation simultaneously.   

There is great concern in local police and emergency management circles about undue public anxiety over this test.  The test message on TV might not indicate that it is just a test.  Fear is that the lack of an explanation regarding the message might create panic. Please share this information with your family and friends so they are aware of the test.

 

 

Rally & APEC Labor Teach-in on Friday, November 11th

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STRIKE RALLY on Friday, November 11 at 4:00 p.m. at the Hawaiian Tel Building on Bishop and Beretania Streets.

APEC Teach-in for Hawaii Workers on the IBEW Picket Line starting at 5:00 p.m.  COME LEARN about what the APEC conference is talking about
& what the Banks and Politicians are planning to do to us.

Important Information: Faculty Need for Private Email Addresses

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Personnel and Grievance Matters—Keeping the Attorney-Client Privilege

 
Recent American Bar Association ethics opinions indicate that lawyers have a duty to try to keep client communications secure. Employer owned servers allow the employer to readily access any communications.  UH has no obligation to disclose they have accessed the employees email and can compromise the attorney-client privilege.
 
UH access to faculty correspondence can harm the ability of UHPA to represent faculty members and maintain confidentiality on grievance and other personnel matters.

UHPA cautions that use of employer provided equipment can also compromise confidential correspondence. Even where faculty has a private email account use of the UH equipment and server can be accessed. It is recommended that home computers and private email addresses be used at all times for personnel and grievance related correspondence. While UH has Wi-Fi access on campus it may require a UH password which can be noted by the employer and be tracked to their equipment.

State Ethics Restrictions on Use of Employer Provided Communications Systems

UHPA cannot use an employer provided communication system to provide UHPA members information regarding legislative activities and electoral politics. Employees are also restricted from communications regarding electioneering and lobbying efforts.

UHPA wants to keep members informed on legislative efforts that address the interests of faculty. A private email address is necessary for these communications to take place.

G-Mail: It’s easy to set up an account and it’s free

Simply click here to set up a private email account. Please send your new email to vena@uhpa.org so UHPA can update your file and you can begin receiving UHPA information.

If you have questions, please contact UHPA at 593-2157 or email us at feedback@uhpa.org.

 

 

 

 

UHPA Board’s Resolution Regarding Occupy Wall Street

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UHPA Resolution Regarding Occupy Wall Street

Higher education empowers all Hawaii residents and serves as the means to advance a just, equal, and fair society. The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly has been at the forefront of advocating for the right of all to an affordable, accessible quality higher education, whether it results in a certificate from a community college or a degree from one of the many University of Hawaii campuses. UHPA is committed to ensuring Hawaii students reach their full potential, with higher education serving as their path to a better life.

Whether teaching in the classroom, conducting research, or providing other essential services at the University, every day UHPA members’ work contributes to the efforts to achieve a just and fair society and promote democratic practices.

UHPA faculty members stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and the actions throughout the country that promote economic, social and political justice. We recognize that a large majority of those across our country are outraged by the extreme income disparities in our society that have been caused by failed fiscal, tax and regulatory policies. We can no longer grant special favors or tax breaks to high income individuals and corporations while higher education is underfunded and dismissed as insignificant.

As employees, we decry the massive efforts to silence the voice of labor, demean and devalue the contributions of working men and women to a civil society, and blame organized labor for the economic woes of the country. These divisive efforts are misguided and must stop. 

UHPA believes it is important for Occupy Wall Street to succeed as a vehicle to change the political and economic forces that are destroying the American dream and tearing our nation apart. It is time to stand up and advance the cause of equity and fairness.

Adopted by the UHPA Board of Directors, October 22, 2011

APEC and Economic Justice?

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APEC, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, will be hosting a summit this November in Hawaii to promote a massive NAFTA-style trade agreement for the Pacific Rim.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement is an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement currently being negotiated among the United States and eight other countries including Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore,  Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam,  but is also intended as a “docking agreement” that other Pacific Rim countries would join over time, such as Indonesia, Russia, Japan, the Philippines and possibly even China. The ongoing, multi-year negotiations over the Trans-Pacific FTA are supposed to conclude by November 2011.  Even if that date slips, as is now expected, the window of opportunity for preventing the FTA from becoming a new “NAFTA for the Pacific Rim” is rapidly closing.  Here are some of the questions yet to be answered:

  • Labor rights: Will the Trans-Pacific FTA include labor standards based on International Labor Organization conventions, and if included, how will they be enforced?
  • Investment Provisions: Will the Trans-Pacific FTA include so-called “investor-to-state” provisions that allow individual corporations to challenge environmental, consumer and other public interest policies as barriers to trade?
  • Public Procurement: Will the Trans-Pacific FTA respect nations’ and communities’ right to set purchasing preferences that keep taxpayer dollars re-circulating in local economies?
  • Access to Medicines: Will the Trans-Pacific FTA allow governments to produce and/or obtain affordable, generic medications for sick people?
  • Agriculture: Will the Trans-Pacific FTA allow countries to ensure that farmers and farm workers are fairly compensated, while also preventing the agricultural dumping that has forced so many family farmers off their land?

About the Speaker: Lori Wallach is a trade lawyer, author and the director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, an organization which promotes government and corporate accountability on issues involving trade and globalization. Wallach is a leading progressive voice on international trade and is an expert on domestic and international trade negotiations, disputes and policies including NAFTA, WTO, CAFTA and more. She is currently investigating the economic and labor implications of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which will be discussed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Honolulu this November. For more information about Lori Wallach and her work click here or for more information about Global Trade Watch click here. 

Reminder UHPA Members – Check for UHPA Survey in your Private Email

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This survey was sent only to UHPA members with a private email address.

  1. The sender is webmaster@uhpa.org
  2. The subject line says “UHPA Survey: Hawaii U.S. Senate and Congressional Races 2012”.
  3. The email will be dated October 17 (sometime in the afternoon).
  4. You should not forward your email or send a link to the survey because the survey is uniquely tied to your email address.

If you are an UHPA member and did not receive this survey at your private email address, it is possible that UHPA does not have a private email address for you or an incorrect one. Click here to email us your name & private email address.