SB 2398, Relating to Collective Bargaining

The Committee on Judiciary and Labor
and
The Committee on Higher Education and The Arts Thursday, February 11, 2016
1:15 p.m., Room 224

RE: SB 2398, Relating to Collective Bargaining

Attention:           Chairs Gilbert Keith­Agaran and Brian Taniguchi,
Vice Chairs Maile Shimabukuro and Lorraine Inouye and Members of the Committees

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committees to
support passage of SB 2398 that amends Section 89 ­6 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statute to advance the interests of graduate assistants. These employees are essential to instruction and research that contributes to the overall success of the University of Hawai‘i. 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.

UHPA supports the passage of SB2398.

Respectively submitted,

Kristeen Hanselman                                                                                                                                                            Executive Director