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New Semester?

Well, it still seems to be up in the air here in Hawaii whether or not the new semester is going to find the instructors in the classroom.  The university President has just announced it isn’t honoring its contracts (or the State of Hawaii constitution) and will be issuing everybody a mandatory 6.7% pay reduction.   The teacher’s union has responded by filing a grievance with the university, demanding that UH retract the pay reduction act and submit the matter to arbitration, or face a lawsuit.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (union) responded in part:

Today’s action is a not only a breach of contract, but also shows blatant disrespect for the negotiated agreement and the faculty. UHPA is notifying other public sector unions about this because it sends a chilling message to all unions that at any time the State can renege on its negotiated agreements. This mocks the collective bargaining process and puts every agreement in jeopardy.

For those of you lucky people not stuck on a small Pacific Island that considers football and the coach’s salary to be more important then educating students and providing them with competent, top quality instructors, it’s time to get your textbooks for winter term. Save money by renting them. And save even more money with a cheggs coupon code. Just click to secure your own.

You get what you pay for.  Hawaii obviously isn’t interested in getting a quality education for their students.  Based on cost-of-living averages, Hawaii pays their public school educators the least of any state in the nation.  Hawaii has one of the lowest standardized test scores in the nation — and, to reduce the amount of money they have to pay teachers, Hawaii recently reduced the number of days in the school year.  Students in Hawaii now have the shortest school year in the nation.

8 Comments

  1. It is all very sad what is happening with the University and the education system in general in Hawaii… but honestly… they are not the only ones. Parents all across America have LONG complained about the athletics department (and coaches salary in particular) being MORE important to the schools than the teachers. And then, of course, the schools argue back that athletics and athletic scholarships is what brings most students to their schools. Well… yea! There are waaaaaaaaaaaay more athletic scholarships given than academic scholarships! Of course… everyone wants to be an athlete! Look at THEIR salaries! There honestly is no part of the American “system” that is not backwards! Athletes and Entertainers ARE more highly valued than Doctors, Teachers, Scientists, and Auto Mechanics! Put together. And that is what John Q. Public dictates! He pays the price for the Football tickets, he buys the athletic shoes, he keeps People magazine in business, and he spends mOre money on entertainment in general (movie theater tickets and in home video systems and videos, televisions and video games) than in many cases on RENT or groceries! We are a backward nation slipping further and further away from recognition of the true priorities of life.
    .-= Melli´s last blog ..Random Dozen #18 =-.

  2. Sounds a tad bit like Texas in Paradise. With the football being more important and all. We haven’t received a raise (not even a COLA) in 2 years. Looking at more layoffs and even furlough days. Uggggggghhhhh! Good luck with your situation…
    .-= Melissa B.´s last blog ..It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere =-.

  3. I know. The educational situation in Hawaii is just terrible. Nothing much to add to your post, as I have already had 2 letters to the editor published in the 2 daily newspapers here regarding just that.
    .-= gigi-hawaii´s last blog ..MidWeek Poll =-.

  4. It totally disgusts me. And then the legislators sit back and wonder why we have one of the lowest test scores. And what else happens? The stop school bus service for our kids in certain areas? I just don’t understand why our kids, our future has to pay the price for those ASSHOLES in Washington Place not doing their job correctly. Oh yeah..GO WARRIROS!!! PFFFT
    .-= Thom´s last blog ..Silly Haiku Wednesday – New Beginnings and a Belated Anniversary =-.

  5. The deadline that the UHPA set for a University response (1600 HST yesterday, 5 January) has come and gone without action by either the university or the union. (UPDATE: The University, late yesterday, rejected the union’s demand and has initiated precisely the grievance procedure outlined below.) The formal grievance procedure gives the University 30 days to respond to the grievance, and another 30 days to set up an arbitration hearing if the grievance is not resolved (which it won’t be) during the first 30-day period. The last class grievance filed by the UHPA was initiated in September 2009; the arbitrator’s decision was rendered on 17 December, three months later. No reason to believe the current grievance will proceed any faster. A lot of mortgages will be in jeopardy three months from now, if they’re not already.

    The union won’t act. The good citizens of the State of Hawaii are already howling for blood, egged on by their bosses who have convinced them that their meager wages are for their own good and the only way forward is to preserve the profits of the megarich. Union action will unleash the mobs.

    The university won’t act. It has already won the battle by delaying it (see Furlough Fridays, which, thanks to the successful politics of delay, aren’t going anywhere anytime soon), and any positive action will cause the mob to turn on it.

    Al Qaeda is doing things exactly right – throwing just enough panty-waist incompetents at us to keep us tangled up in knots, and standing by while We the People do their work for them.

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