FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2001
Contact: Rep. Marcus Oshiro
Tel.: 586-8505




RECALLED LABOR BILL SENT BACK TO COMMITTEE



HONOLULU -- A late-session Republican effort to recall a collective bargaining bill failed today after House lawmakers raised concerns over the bill's critical defects and the likelihood that the Senate would not act on the measure this session. Following a lengthy debate, House Bill 263 was returned to the Labor & Public Employment Committee by a 29 to 15 vote.


The measure was introduced by a host of Republican legislators. It gives each county, the Department of Education, the State hospital system, the Judiciary, and the University of Hawaii the authority to negotiate separate labor agreements with the unions.


During debate on the bill, House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro pointed out that one of the bill's obvious defects is that it excludes the Governor from the bargaining process when many of the affected employees are currently paid with State general funds. He said the bill also runs afoul of the Constitution, which requires the Governor to include collective bargaining amounts in his budgetary requests to the Legislature.


Oshiro also questioned the timing of the recall since the exchange deadline for House and Senate bills was three weeks ago. "What kind of message would we be sending to the Senate? We're over two-thirds of the way through this session and facing a potential strike that could cripple our educational system," Oshiro said.


"I have to question the motive behind recalling this bill because there's no burning need. None of the mayors nor the County Councils requested this bill's passage," he said.


Rep. Nestor Garcia, a member of the Labor Committee, said he felt "uncomfortable" moving such a measure forward and expecting the Senate to accomplish the work of the House. Other legislators also took issue with various parts of the bill.


Rep. Dwight Takamine, Finance chair, said having autonomous labor agreements goes against the principle of "equal pay for equal work." He also said the civil service reform measures passed last year attend to much of what H.B. 263 proposes. For example, counties can resolve their unique requirements through supplemental agreements with the various labor unions.


Rep. Ezra Kanoho of Kauai said the bill favors the more affluent counties. He said Kauai would not be able to compete with the wages and benefits other counties could offer and would lose essential workers as a result. In addition, Kanoho said the bill is a "collective bargaining nightmare" because there would be 40 bargaining units instead of the current 13.


Oshiro said he is very much against passing out a bill that is so obviously defective and lacks any support or input by the affected parties. "Are we prepared to say that this measure is solid enough to become law?"


Today is the 42nd day of the current session, which is scheduled to adjourn on May 3.



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