Give labor board resources it needs

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 12, 2013

~~<p>Hawaii law requires that the three-person board deciding public employee labor disagreements involving the county and state governments "execute all of its responsibilities in a timely manner," but that has become next to impossible because of cutbacks in the board's staff. The Legislature is considering deadlines for deciding cases, but the only sensible approach is to provide a large enough staff to address cases over a punctual timetable.</p>
<p>The Hawaii Labor Relations Board is required by law to schedule hearings about a dispute within 40 days; its decision is to be made "promptly" after the final hearing. However, nearly 10 months after the board's final hearing of the Hawaii State Teachers Association's complaint about Gov. Neil Abercrombie's "last, best and final" contract offer imposed in July 2011, the board has yet to arrive at a decision in the heated case.</p>
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Hawaii law requires that the three-person board deciding public employee labor disagreements involving the county and state governments "execute all of its responsibilities in a timely manner," but that has become next to impossible because of cutbacks in the board's staff. The Legislature is considering deadlines for deciding cases, but the only sensible approach is to provide a large enough staff to address cases over a punctual timetable.

The Hawaii Labor Relations Board is required by law to schedule hearings about a dispute within 40 days; its decision is to be made "promptly" after the final hearing. However, nearly 10 months after the board's final hearing of the Hawaii State Teachers Association's complaint about Gov. Neil Abercrombie's "last, best and final" contract offer imposed in July 2011, the board has yet to arrive at a decision in the heated case. Login for more...