The Senate Committee on Higher Education and the Arts
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
2:00 p.m.

HB 553, HD 1, Relating to Collective Bargaining.

Dear Chairpersons Taniguchi and Keith-Agaran and Committee Members:

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committee to support passage of this proposed measure by amendments to the Hawaii Revised Statues Chapter 90 that will advance the interests of graduate assistants. These employees are essential to instruction and research that contribute to the overall success of the University of Hawaii. Graduate Assistants are employees in the full sense of the term with continuing access to positions based on job and academic performance.

UHPA supports the rights of graduate assistants to organize and collectively bargain. Such a right is consistent with the labor tradition in our state and is compatible with an academic environment whereby the majority of employees have access to representation.

Respectively submitted,

Kristeen Hanselman
Associate Executive Director