HGEA

Author: Malulani Moreno

  • HGEA’s John Higgins to Sit On City Task Force to Examine HPD Vacancy Crisis

    HGEA’s John Higgins to Sit On City Task Force to Examine HPD Vacancy Crisis

    A month after HGEA publicly called on the Honolulu City Council to expand its inquiry into police department vacancies to include civilian dispatchers, council members selected Union Agent John Higgins to sit on its 11-member panel to investigate the problem.

    His appointment marks a potential turning point in HPD’s years-long neglect to address recruitment and retainment of police dispatchers amid a growing shortage in their ranks.

    “Given HGEA members are on the front lines of public safety within the HPD — and the impact staffing levels have had on employee morale, retention, and service — it is wholly appropriate for their voices to be represented on the task force,” HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira said.

    The department faces 188 vacancies in civilian positions, according to reports, two-thirds of which are dispatchers. With some 35% of dispatcher positions vacant, this creates the potential for a public safety hazard, the union contends. Members report experiencing emotional and physical strain: working longer hours, foregoing lunch breaks — even bathroom breaks — and being coerced by managers if they are unable to work overtime.

    The task force’s final report to the council is due by Dec. 1, 180 days from the adoption of Councilwoman Andria Tupola’s measure to create the panel. The council would then consider what, if any, recommendations it would implement.

  • HGEA Voted Best Local Union in Hawaii

    HGEA Voted Best Local Union in Hawaii

    More than 50,000 KITV viewers from across the state have spoken: the Hawaii Government Employees Association is the best local union in 2025.

    For 90 years HGEA has been on the front lines fighting for workers’ rights in the workplace, including job security, pay and benefits, good working conditions and fair treatment. We are proud to represent the hard-working women and men who are providing the public with vital government services. Hawaii really does work best when we do.

    Watch Executive Director Randy Perreira discuss the importance of this milestone on KITV Island Life Live.

  • Peter Oshiro Makes Dining Out Safe In Hawaii

    Peter Oshiro Makes Dining Out Safe In Hawaii

    Peter Oshiro, manager of the Environmental Health Program in the Department of Health, has led one of the most critical departments to keep the community safe from communicable diseases. Oshiro, MCEC member, has more than 20 years of service in the union as a steward and board member, and he remains a strong advocate of the important work that government workers do to keep Hawaii healthy.

  • RELEASE: HGEA Calls on City Council to Expand HPD Staffing Crisis Inquiry to Include Police Communication Officers

    RELEASE: HGEA Calls on City Council to Expand HPD Staffing Crisis Inquiry to Include Police Communication Officers

    Severe Shortage of Police Dispatchers in the Honolulu Police Department Threatens Public Safety

    The Hawaii Government Employees Association this week called on the Honolulu City Council to expand its recently established taskforce to tackle the Honolulu Police Department’s shortage of uniformed officers to include civilian police communication officers, commonly known as dispatchers.

    These vital employees answer urgent emergency calls from the public, but for years the union has sounded the alarm about the growing shortage in their ranks and HPD’s failure to address recruitment and retainment. The department faces 188 vacancies in civilian positions, according to reports, two-thirds of which are dispatchers. With some 35% of dispatcher positions vacant, this creates the potential for a public safety hazard.

    “For our members in these roles, it has meant emotional and physical strain: working longer hours, foregoing lunch breaks — even bathroom breaks — and being coerced by managers if they are unable to work overtime,” HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira wrote to the city council in a June 5 letter.

    The impacts of these shortages are well documented: During ongoing emergencies, when minutes are a matter of life or death, staff shortages often increase call wait times from four minutes to upwards of 20 minutes. Employees are required to hold over four hours at the end of their regular eight-hour shift should their supervisor ask them to stay, usually with no advanced notice. And they are not allowed to refuse overtime, even in the case of childcare, elder care or other personal scheduling conflicts. This has led to a workforce that is physically burned out, emotionally worn down, and fearful of management reprisal.

    Twenty-five current police communication officers have reached retirement age, which threatens to compound the vacancy crisis the department faces. With HPD struggling to retain recruits past one year, it’s hard to see how this situation improves. HPD has retained only 13 police communication officers hired since 2020 compared to 21 who have left the workplace.

    While every county in the state is experiencing staffing shortages with emergency operators, HGEA has been able to successfully negotiate retention differentials with all counties except for the Honolulu Police Department.

    “We urge that the council expand its inquiry into this staffing challenge by including police communications officers and the impact that their staffing level has on employee morale, retention, and service (or lack of) provided to our community,” Perreira said in his letter. “The public deserves a communication unit that is fully staffed and capable of accurately handling critical emergencies without delay.”

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    Media Contacts:

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

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

  • Unit 9 Member Jaedyn Pavao Wins Miss Aloha Hula

    Unit 9 Member Jaedyn Pavao Wins Miss Aloha Hula

    As we celebrate Nurses’ Week, joining us on KITV Island Life Live is Unit 9 Member Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao. She spoke on her win in the Miss Aloha Hula competition at this year’s Merrie Monarch Festival, and her experience as a Registered Nurse II with the state Department of Health on Kauai.

  • HGEA School Psychologists on Island Life Live!

    HGEA School Psychologists on Island Life Live!

    This National School Psychology Week, watch our Island Life Live segment celebrating school psychologists. Unit 13 members Amanda Garrett, based at Mililani Uka Elementary School, and Lynette Cantere, from the Department of Education Honolulu District Office discussed how school psychologists help students succeed even under the strain of high vacancies and what can be done to address recruitment and retention issues.

    Heartfelt mahalo to all school psychologists taking care of students’ mental health.