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A state judge Thursday dismissed the Hawaii State Teachers Association’s attempt to force a decision on its request to block the contract imposed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie this summer while the union pursues an unfair labor practices complaint.
HSTA President Wil Okabe said he was disappointed but not surprised by the dismissal.
When the state imposed the contract, which included a 5 percent pay cut and increases the teachers’ contribution for their health care to 50 percent from 40 percent, the union filed a prohibited practices complaint against the state with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board. At the same time the union asked board to block the contract while it considers the complaint.
The board continues to conduct hearings on the HSTA complaint. The next hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. But the board has yet to rule on the union’s request to block the contract.
"It’s been three months and there’s no ruling," Okabe said. He concedes no state law or administrative rule imposes a deadline by which the board must decide.
Thursday’s court hearing in front of Circuit Judge Rhonda Nishimura was on HSTA’s appeal of a labor board order refusing to speed up a ruling on blocking the contract.
Nishimura said the appeal amounts to a request for her to impose a deadline.
The union had attempted to bypass Nishimura by taking its appeal directly to the Hawaii Supreme Court, but in September the high court refused to consider HSTA’s appeal.
Ironically, the union earlier this week attempted to push back Thursday’s hearing. Nishimura denied the union’s request.
The Abercrombie administration declined to comment on the dismissal of the HSTA appeal.
