The House Committee on Higher Education
Thursday, February 2, 2017
2:00 p.m., Room 309
RE: HB 1277, Relating to Collective Bargaining
Attention: Chair Justin Woodson, Vice Chair Mark Hashem and Members of the Committee
The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committee to support passage of HB 1277 that amends Section 89-6 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statute to create bargaining unit 15, allowing full-time graduate students employed at the University of Hawai‘i to collectively bargain.
Graduate students are essential to instruction, research and mentoring undergraduate students that contributes to the overall success of the University of Hawai‘i. They are in the full sense of the term, employees, with continuing access to positions based on job and academic performance.
When representing faculty, UHPA has had to work with graduates students, and on occasion, have provided guidance. The current University of Hawai‘i policy governing Graduate Students does not provide the proper protections of this group of employees. Collective Bargaining would allow this group the following:
- Negotiation of grievance procedures
- Protection from arbitrary and capricious behavior
- Negotiation of salary, wages and benefits
While UHPA is unable to represent Graduate Students, our experience indicates this group of student employees needs the ability to advance its interests in establishing appropriate conditions of employment and treatment in the workplace.
UHPA supports the passage of HB 1277.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristeen Hanselman
Executive Director
