What We Do
Building a stronger workplace through collective action
Collective Bargaining
UHPA unifies 3,300 faculty members into a single, cohesive voice at the bargaining table. We negotiate the Unit 7 Agreement to safeguard your core rights of employment across the UH system—including tenure, academic freedom, intellectual property, and working conditions—while delivering a track record of multi-year stability and pay growth. UHPA members have a voice and a vote to set contract priorities and ratify final agreements. Joining UHPA ensures you actively shape the contract that governs your career, giving you a seat at the table that non-members simply do not have.
Member & Community Engagement
UHPA builds a strong, united union by connecting faculty across all 10 campuses and standing up for public higher education across Hawaiʻi. Through regular campus visits, social gatherings, workshops, and member-led committees, we create space for colleagues to build relationships, share experiences, and shape union priorities. Beyond our campuses, we connect faculty expertise with the broader public through partnerships, community initiatives, and grassroots actions—including rallies and public demonstrations—to defend academic freedom, protect public resources, and support working families across the islands.
Contract Maintenance and Grievances
UHPA enforces the terms and conditions of the contract to protect the rights of UHPA members.
When workplace issues arise, UHPA assists members with resolving them quickly. If informal efforts fail, UHPA guides and represents dues-paying members through the formal grievance process, arbitration, and legal action when necessary. Non-members are not entitled to this representation and must bear the costs of these activities on their own.
Advocacy & Legislative Policy
Because UH funding and core benefits—including EUTF healthcare plans and ERS retirement—are determined by state leaders and administrative agencies, UHPA maintains a constant presence at the State Capitol. We actively lobby elected officials and build strong working relationships to protect budget allocations and ensure the state fulfills its contractual obligations to faculty. Through our faculty-led political endorsement process, UHPA supports legislative allies who champion public higher education. This ongoing advocacy helps attract and retain exceptional faculty, supports an affordable quality of life in Hawaiʻi, and keeps the UH strong in teaching, research, and service.