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The HGEA posted a notice on its web site this morning telling members of Unit 3, which includes white-collar government workers, and Unit 4 white-collar supervisors that they should not go to ratification sites as originally planned. (HGEA)
Contract ratification meetings for members of two units of the Hawaii Government Employees Association have been “suspended” by the union, a development that will delay indefinitely any settlement for about 14,400 state, city and county workers.
The HGEA posted a notice on its web site this morning telling members of Unit 3, which includes white-collar government workers, and Unit 4 white-collar supervisors that they should not go to ratification sites as originally planned.
Contract ratification voting for members of Unit 2, which includes about 815 blue-collar supervisors, was continuing today at various polling sites.
HGEA did not publicly explain the decision to halt voting for the two units. A spokeswoman for the union would say only that “our negotiating teams are meeting tomorrow to discuss the next step.”
Sources have said the union members were being asked this week to ratify two-year agreements that would have provided for raises amounting to about 4 percent per year.
The union has been trying to wrap up negotiations in time for the state Legislature to fund the new agreements, but it is now unclear if that will be possible this year. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 7.
Units 3 and 4 also have the right to go to arbitration if they are unable to reach a contract agreement through ordinary bargaining.
