Hawaii 24/7

MEDIA RELEASE Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) President Wil Okabe, and other members of the state and HSTA negotiating teams have signed a four-year agreement for a new teachers contract. The execution of the contract followed last night’s ratification of the contract by HSTA’s membership of the state’s public […]

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Public school teachers to see equivalent of a 3 percent pay increase above the restored 5 percent cut

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MEDIA RELEASE Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, and Board of Education (BOE) Chairman Don Horner announced Sunday that a tentative agreement has been reached between the State of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA). The four-year tentative agreement that the HSTA will now take to its members for ratification, includes annual pay […]

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Statement from Hawaii State Teachers Association President Wil Okabe regarding negotiations and HSTA proposal to state, dated Jan. 11: The Hawaii State Teachers Association and the State returned to the bargaining table. HSTA came to the table with a proposal based on an honest assessment of where the Educator Effectiveness System currently stands and a […]

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Statement from Wil Okabe, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, regarding negotiations (dated Dec. 10) Today, HSTA resumed negotiations with the State. Unfortunately, the third bargaining session was cut short as the State declared its offer expired, since HSTA could not accept the offer in its entirety. The State’s two year, $49 million economic […]

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MEDIA RELEASE On Aug. 20, 2012 the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) and the State of Hawaii agreed to engage the help of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to resolve our differences for the sake of students and school teachers. The Federal Mediator informed the state on Thursday, Oct. 4 that HSTA will no […]

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MEDIA RLEASE On Aug. 14, Gov. Neil Abercrombie sent a letter to the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) President Wil Okabe inviting the teachers’ union to engage the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services. Abercrombie said the invitation “is not about establishing who is right or who is wrong, but rather to re-engage HSTA in discussions […]

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MEDIA RELEASE Gov. Neil Abercrombie has responded to a letter received by the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) last night. HSTA president Wil Okabe sent a letter that notified the governor of HSTA’s intention to seek ratification of the January 2012 proposed agreement that was previously rejected by its members. Prior to this letter, negotiations […]

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In a letter dated Monday, Jan. 23 to members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, president Wil Okabe said it was his fault teacher rejected the latest contract offer. Approximately 9,000 of the 12,500 teachers, counselors, and others voted Thursday on whether to accept the proposed contract. Those in favor accounted for 33 percent votes; […]

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The following statement was issued Thursday, Jan. 19 by Hawaii State Teachers Association president Wil Okabe: Mahalo to each of you who came out to vote on the proposed new contract. I talked to hundreds of you this week personally and at some of the polling locations. I could tell from the questions many teachers […]

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Hawaii 24/7 Staff The state of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Teachers Association on Friday night agreed on moving forward for transforming education. Both sides have reached an initial agreement. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Department of Education Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and Board of Education Chairman Don Horner issued the following joint statement: “We are pleased […]

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Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Contributing Editor Teachers are on board with a deal between their union – State Teachers Association – and the Board of Education to end furlough Fridays. HSTA gave its members a chance to have their say on a proposal that would require approval from the Legislature and the governor to […]

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