HGEA

Author: Malulani Moreno

  • Tell Lawmakers ‘Hands Off DOE’

    Tell Lawmakers ‘Hands Off DOE’

    The Senate Education Committee plans to hear a bad bill introduced by Sen. Donna Kim that would rid the Department of Education of Complex-Area Superintendents.

    HGEA strongly opposes this proposal. Repealing the CAS structure and altering principal selection and evaluation authority would not strengthen the public school system — it would reverse decades of progress, destabilize supports for principals, and create new uncertainty for schools and communities.

    DOE employees, it is time to show up and speak up.

    Friday, Feb. 13, 1:05 p.m.

    State Capitol, Room 229 (and virtual)

    415 South Beretania Street

    Use your Institute Day tomorrow for urgent civic action! Oppose Senate Bill 3334!

  • RELEASE: HGEA Endorses Bernard Carvalho for Kauai County Mayor

    RELEASE: HGEA Endorses Bernard Carvalho for Kauai County Mayor

    Carvalho has a proven track record to lead during uncertain times.

    As the extremists in control of the federal government put unprecedented strain on local governments by cutting funding for vital public services, Kauai County needs proven leadership that working class families can rely on.

    That’s why the Hawaii Government Employees Association is endorsing Bernard Carvalho for Kauai County Mayor. As mayor for 10 years on the Garden Isle, Carvalho put the needs of working people first — prioritizing community development, diversifying Kauai’s economy and quality of life over outside special interests.

    Hawaii stands to lose a massive $3.5 billion in funding from the federal government, all so billionaires and greedy corporations can get more tax cuts they don’t need. These reckless decisions mean counties will face tough choices that will impact our most vulnerable residents, like our kids and kupuna.

    “With the challenges we are facing, we need someone as mayor with the experience to bring the community together to tackle these trials on day one. Bernard Carvalho is the person to move us forward,” said HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira.

    Our island faces significant challenges, from the lack of affordable housing to the rising cost of living. The county is struggling to maintain police and fire services in the face of severe fiscal constraints. And ever-increasing vacancy rates across county government are putting a strain on the existing workforce providing vital services.

    During Carvalho’s tenure as mayor, Kauai County began transitioning to clean energy faster than anywhere else in the country. Investments in public transit and affordable housing improved Kauai’s quality of life. And his skill at building relationships and working together despite differences allowed the county to tackle problems quickly.

    Bottom line: Carvalho is ready to lead. Let’s put him back in office as the steady hand Kauai County needs during this turbulent time.

    -pau-

    Media Contacts:

    Malulani Moreno
    Communications Manager
    (808) 543-0024
    mmoreno@hgea.org

    Kristina Lum
    Senior Communications Specialist
    (808) 543-0063
    klum@hgea.org

  • ✅🤙HGEA Endorses Bernard Carvalho for Kauai County Mayor

    2026 ELECTION ENDORSEMENT

    Bernard Carvalho

    For Kauai County Mayor

    At a time when Kauai County is in desperate need of leadership that works side-by-side with labor unions to solve our island’s challenges, HGEA is throwing its support behind Bernard Carvalho for mayor.

    As a 17-year public servant and HGEA member, Carvalho understands the struggles we face as government employees — ever-increasing vacancy rates that put a strain on the existing workforce, lack of partnership with unions, and dwindling federal resources that threaten the vital services we provide.

    Carvalho, in his decade as mayor and a county councilman, has built a proven track record of tackling these problems. During his previous administrations, Carvalho showed a willingness to resolve grievances in a prompt and fair manner and kept an open-door policy for negotiations with him and members of his cabinet. This is the attitude needed from the employer again in Kauai County.

    Our island faces significant challenges, from the lack of affordable housing to the rising cost of living. Carvalho’s skill at building relationships and working together despite differences can help set a new course for Kauai County.

    Wayfinder Waikiki

    Central to the all the action, get a discount off your next staycation at the Wayfinder.


    UH Family Fun Day: Men’s Basketball

    UH vs. UCSB at the BankOh Arena, Stan Sheriff Center. Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.

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    Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

    For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

    If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

    (808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

  • School employees fear for their safety. The state’s message? You’re on your own.

    School employees fear for their safety. The state’s message? You’re on your own.

    In the days and weeks since the brutal assault on a Moanalua High School assistant athletic director, the union has been a vocal proponent of stricter protections for public servants.

    This week, Executive Director Randy Perreira told Honolulu Civil Beat that school employees need more support from the state when threats, harassment and assaults occur. Our Moanalua Unit 6 member, for instance, had to hire her own attorney to guide her through the restraining order process, rather than the state taking on the burden given the incident occurred while the employee was working.

    The incident marked an escalation in safety concerns for employees. Just a few years ago, a DOE communications director and nearly a dozen other employees received harassment and threats from one particular parent. Teachers are frequently the target of threats, too.

    For our part, we issued a scathing letter in the aftermath of the Moanalua incident calling for action from the state, particularly the Hawaii Attorney General’s office.

    “We are already aware that Ms. Iwamoto had to seek a restraining order from the courts on her own without State assistance; sadly, this is par for the course for our Department of the Attorney General and the DOE,” Perreira wrote.

    The AG’s office told Civil Beat that state law doesn’t authorize them to represent state employees filing restraining orders.

    In short, the message from the state to petrified employees: You’re on your own.

    Perhaps it is time for this to change as the state Legislature prepares for a new session. HGEA is ready to support any bill that creates support for employees facing harassment, threats and assault.  Such measures have failed to garner support from lawmakers in the past.

    Read the story in Honolulu Civil Beat.

  • RELEASE: HGEA Demands Action By DOE After Brutal Assault On Moanalua High School Employee

    RELEASE: HGEA Demands Action By DOE After Brutal Assault On Moanalua High School Employee

    The assault on the associate athletic director of Moanalua High School, a Unit 6 member of our union, should be a call to action for the state Department of Education, the Hawaii Attorney General and state lawmakers. This kind of violence against public servants cannot become normalized.

    That’s why HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira yesterday sent Superintendent Keith Hayashi a letter demanding action now.

    “We appreciate that you immediately reacted to the situation,” Perreira said. “Words are easy; however, currently we are demanding to know what steps the department intends to take to prevent such instances from occurring again in the future.”

    Our organization along with the Hawaii State Teachers Association has been sounding the alarm for years about escalating threats against school employees. This incident should prompt DOE to be much more proactive in pushing for harsher criminal penalties for assaulting school employees.

    “HGEA and HSTA have sought passage of such legislation, with the response from the DOE being tepid at best,” Perreira said. “We hope this act of violence will compel the DOE to push hard for greater criminal penalties.”

    HGEA intends to hold DOE’s feet to the fire. It is time they find their spines and stand up to protect its dedicated employees.

    ###

    Media Contacts:

    Malulani Moreno
    Communications Manager
    (808) 543-0024
    mmoreno@hgea.org

  • HGEA Proudly Endorses Mayor Richard Bissen’s Re-election as Maui County Mayor

    HGEA Proudly Endorses Mayor Richard Bissen’s Re-election as Maui County Mayor

    Citing an exemplary level of positive collaboration between Mayor Richard Bissen’s administration and the union, HGEA’s Board of Directors is throwing its support behind Bissen’s re-election.

    “Mayor Bissen has shown a refreshing level of collaboration with our union that makes him stand out from other public-sector employers,” said HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira. “His administration resolves grievances fairly, keeps an open door, and has worked with us to secure much-needed gains in pay and benefits for the working families we represent. His commitment to working people is why HGEA is proud to endorse him for a second term.”

    This attitude from an employer has allowed us to achieve agreements on free 75/25 medical coverage options for county employees, ease the way to distribute and resolve issues with temporary hazard pay, and reprice hard-to-fill job classes, such as engineers.

    After the worst natural disaster to hit our community in a generation, Bissen faced impossible circumstances head-on, helping Maui rise from the ashes of the wildfires. The strides he’s made during the recovery efforts along with a genuine commitment to partner with unions so working families can thrive on Maui give us faith that he will carry this momentum over to his second term.

  • Unit 6’s Sheldon Oshio Leads First “Model Academy with Distinction” Elementary School in the Nation

    Unit 6’s Sheldon Oshio Leads First “Model Academy with Distinction” Elementary School in the Nation

    Unit 6’s Sheldon Oshio made headlines after Waikele Elementary School, where he serves as principal, became the first elementary school in the country to earn the “Model Academy with Distinction” designation from the National Career Academy Coalition.

    Waikele’s program is part of a larger career academy emphasis in the Waipahu Complex of schools. Traditionally career academies were limited to high schools, making Waikele’s program all the more innovative.

    Oshio told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the NCAC recognition “is a strong validation of the national standards of practice” and “a great validation of our collective work.”

    Read more in the Star-Advertiser.

  • 🎄Registration Now Open: Hawaii Island Holiday Unity Party

    HAWAII ISLAND DIVISION

    Holiday Unity Party

    Come deck the halls with us on Saturday, Dec. 20.

    Holiday Unity Party, Saturday, Dec. 20

    Registration Now Open

    UH-Hilo Campus Center Dining Hall

    Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m.

    Enjoy a family-friendly evening with entertainment, no host bar, holiday games, a photo booth, festive fun, and good company.

    $50 per person, cash. Children ages 5 to 9 are $25, and ages 4 and under are free. Register at the Hilo Office by Monday, Dec.1.

    ETM Wine Tours

    Get a special early booking rate on the August 2026 Greece to Italy wine cruise hosted by Robert Young Estate Winery.

    HGEA x Eden in Love Collab Fundraiser

    HGEA x Eden in Love tote bags are on sale again! Sales will benefit the Charles R. Kendall Scholarship & Education Fund.

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    Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

    For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

    If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

    (808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

  • HGEA Welcomes Honolulu’s Newest Unit 15 Ocean Safety Recruits

    HGEA Welcomes Honolulu’s Newest Unit 15 Ocean Safety Recruits

    Fourteen new members of HGEA’s Unit 15 are making waves after successfully completing the eight-week training program for the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department. Joining the finest ocean safety professionals in the world, these recruits will be assigned across Oahu’s shores as first responders and guardians of residents and visitors alike.

    The graduates include Jesse Arias, Brisco Beaton, Malaika Bishaw, Anthony Bonfanti III, Nicco Crew, Nainoa Kapu, Chaz Kuikahi-Molina, Zenon Kulchitsky, Garrett Moos, Omid Nouripour, David Paine, Jr., David Rigauld, Jr., Nicole Salerno and Kale Wallace.

    “Through their courage, discipline, and aloha, these new lifeguards have earned their place among one of the most elite ocean safety teams in the world,” said Ocean Safety Chief Kurt Lager in a statement.

  • 🎙️WATCH: Rep. Tokuda on the Government Shutdown

    THE NEGOTIATION TABLE

    Rep. Jill Tokuda On the Federal Government Shutdown

    New Podcast Episode. Watch Now!

    Podcast Thumbnail: The Negotiation Table | Government Shutdown With U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda

    As the government shutdown drags on, our community is beginning to feel the impact on vital public services and the ability for working families to meet their basic needs. Funding for SNAP benefits, sometimes called food stamps, could dry up in a matter of days, leaving thousands without a lifeline for food. Then there are the thousands of federal workers in Hawaii, such as TSA officers and air traffic controllers, who are working without pay to keep serving the public.

    U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, from Hawaii’s second congressional district, gives us some perspective on the chaos in Washington, D.C.

    FIGHTING FOR YOU

    Union Secures Retention Bonuses

    for HPD Dispatchers

    Agreement Seeks to Boost Retention of Police Communication Officers and Emergency Response Officers

    Photo of HPD PRD Jenny Ahsing-Kaahanui

    HGEA and the Honolulu Police Department reached an agreement for new monthly retention bonuses for police communications officers and emergency response operators.

    The agreement comes on the heels of the union publicly calling on the city council to expand its inquiry into the HPD vacancy crisis to include dispatchers, not just uniformed officers.

    In a statement to Honolulu Civil Beat, HGEA’s Executive Director Randy Perreira said severe staffing shortages have long had an impact on employee morale, retention, and service.

    WORKING FOR HAWAII

    Free Christmas Concert Featuring HGEA Members in Royal Hawaiian Band

    Friday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall

    Photo of HPD PRD Jenny Ahsing-Kaahanui

    HGEA Members in the City and County of Honolulu’s Royal Hawaiian Band will lead a lineup of acclaimed musicians and artists in the free Kalikimaka Ho’omau concert heralding the start of the Christmas season.

    The two-hour holiday concert will be held at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors to the Blaisdell Concert Hall will open at 6 p.m.

    New Discount!

    Save at Jiffy Lube

    HGEA members save big on your total service invoice (excluding tires and batteries). Plus, get free fuel/oil additive.

    Scholarship Applications Now Open

    Kendall, Okata and Union Strong Scholarship applications are due by Tuesday, Jan. 20

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    FOLLOW US

    Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

    For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

    If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

    (808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.