No faculty contract between 1999 and 2001. Legislature in 1999 placed a moratorium on collective bargaining until June 30, 2001. More information noted below.
Although bargaining over a successor agreement began in January 1999, the State would not respond to UHPA’s proposals. An effort was made to extend the 1995-1999 Agreement for two years with no increase in salaries. The Governor rejected the offer to extend the existing contract. On June 30, 1999, the 1995-1999 UHPA/UH-BOR Agreement expired. UH President Kenneth Mortimer announced that the UH administration would continue to honor the Agreement as if it were extended, but noted that collective bargaining decisions rested with the Governor. On September 29, 1999, UHPA filed a prohibited practice charge against the Office of Collective Bargaining, claiming that the State has not bargained in good faith.
The Hawaii Labor Relations Board (HLRB) unanimously ruled that the State’s Chief Negotiator had bargained in bad faith and required the Office of Collective Bargaining to return to the bargaining table. On July 6, 2000 negotiations began again.
In October 2000, there were 27 issues that remained unresolved, including salary increases for the last two years. UHPA filed a petition with HLRB that the parties were at impasse. In November 2000, the HLRB ruled that an impasse did exist and a mediator was appointed.
As of March 2001, some tentative agreements were made, but the parties remained at impasse over salary increases (last salary increase for faculty was given in July 1998). loss of retirement service credits, unfair treatment of community college faculty concerning the granting of teaching equivalencies, intellectual property rights, and merit awards.
A strike authorization vote was conducted on all campuses on March 19-21, 2001. On March 24, UHPA notified the employer and the HLRB of UHPA’s intent to initiate a statewide strike. Bargaining Unit 7 members were informed that if a settlement could not be reached by 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 5, 2001, they would be on strike.
Faculty on all campuses were out on strike for twelve days (April 5 – April 17, 2001). Settlement was reached and the 2001-2003 faculty contract was ratified.