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READ: HGEA's letter to Gov. Ige requests he veto bill giving $2,200 bonuses to teachers
May 13, 2021
HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira sent a letter to Gov. David Ige on May 12 requesting that he veto H.B. 613, which would give all Hawaii public school teachers a one-time $2,200 bonus payment. This legislation not only violates the collective bargaining process but also unfairly rewards one group while ignoring many others who have worked on the frontlines during the pandemic.
“We believe that H.B. 613, C.D. 2 violates Article XIII, Section 2 of the Hawaii Constitution and Chapter 89 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes because the $2,200 bonus payments were not attained through the collective bargaining process. Changes to wages, hours and other conditions of work must be negotiated by the Union and the Employer prior to implementation. That did not happen here," Perreira stated. "Beyond any legal analysis this legislation is patently unfair as it rewards one segment of our education community while disregarding the contributions of others who educate our students. At a time when our state should be coming together in a unified effort to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, this divisive legislation sets us back immeasurably.”