School panel member says talks were friendly

The atmosphere in recent negotiations between the state and teachers union was largely businesslike and friendly, and union negotiators never said they felt "intimidated" about making a deal, Board of Education member Jim Williams said in testimony Wednesday.

During a brief cross-examination from state Deputy Attorney General Jim Halvorson, Williams reiterated his contention that he does not believe the state bargained in bad faith or coerced the union — with threats of layoffs — to reach an agreement.

"It was a friendly atmosphere. It was a businesslike atmosphere," he said, adding members of the negotiating team had the "ability to communicate and interact." After the conclusion of a bargaining session in June, in which the union agreed to take a "last, best and final" offer to its executive board, "we ended on a high note, we shook hands," he said.

During testimony before the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, Williams also said that union negotiators "never indicated in my presence that they were in any way mistreated."

Williams, who wrapped up his fourth — and final — day on the witness stand Wednesday, was testifying as part of the union’s "prohibited practice" case against the state over its decision to unilaterally implement a "last, best and final" offer July 1.

Board of Education Chairman Don Horner is scheduled to take the witness stand today.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association argues the state bargained in bad faith, intimidated union negotiators into accepting tentative agreements with the threat of massive layoffs and violated members’ rights when it imposed its contract offer.

The "last, best" offer, which included furloughs, pay cuts and higher medical premiums for 12,500 public school teachers, was imposed after HSTA’s executive board unanimously rejected it and asked for negotiations to resume.

Williams’ statements Wednesday counter the union’s assertion it was bullied into accepting a tentative agreement on a 5 percent wage reduction at an April 27 meeting.

HSTA has pointed to an episode that day during which the state’s chief negotiator, Neil Dietz, cursed and slammed the table with his notebook in response to a request from an HSTA team member for more time to consider wage reductions. Williams said Wednesday that he doesn’t believe Dietz’s actions weren’t meant to intimidate.

"I think his intention was to say, ‘Hey, let’s make some decisions here,’" Williams said.