The House Committee on Higher Education

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

2:00 p.m.,  Room 309

RE: SB 2398, SD2, HD1, Relating to Collective Bargaining

Attention:    Chair Isaac Choy, Vice Chair Linda Ichiyama and Members of the Committee

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committee support passage of SB 2398, that amends Section 89-6 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statute to advance the interests of graduate assistants.  We urge the committee to reject the SB 2398, SD2, HD1 amendments.

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 the SB 2398 language.

Respectively submitted,

Kristeen Hanselman                                                                                                                                                                Executive Director