Unions Tested Even In Labor-friendly Hawaii

By: MARK NIESSE 04/16/11 12:26 PM
Associated Press

http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/04/unions-tested-even-labor-friendly-hawaii

Even in the bluest of states, Hawaii's government
employee labor unions are swallowing pay cuts and deep
benefit reforms brought on by the state's financial
troubles.

But they aren't fighting the changes much, with the
state's largest union tentatively accepting a 5 percent
salary reduction and broad overhauls of retirement
perks that brought fierce opposition in previous years.

Union leader Randy Perreira said even though Democrats
control most of the state's elected offices and
unionization levels are among the highest in the
nation, workers understand that long-term costs must be
contained.

"The proposed changes are things that ideologically, we
union guys don't agree with," said Perreira, executive
director for the Hawaii Government Employees
Association, the state's largest public employee union
representing more than 28,000 active workers. "But
you'll notice that we haven't stepped up in opposition,
simply because we realize these changes may be
necessary."

That's a far different approach than in states like
Wisconsin and Ohio, where labor unions loudly protested
limits to collective bargaining rights supported by
those state's Republican governors.

Unions are quieter in Hawaii not only because the state
has a labor-friendly Democratic governor, Neil
Abercrombie, but also because threats to their basic
collective bargaining rights were quickly shot down,
and a 5 percent cut to their base pay is an improvement
from the 10 percent reduction and two monthly furlough
days they took over the last two years.

Unions are beginning to understand that heavy labor
costs, paid for by taxpayers, will undermine their
power in the long run if they don't compromise, said
Sen. Sam Slom, the only Republican in the 25-member
state Senate, who wants to spend less government money
on unionized workers.

"The leaders of the unions are very aware that these
problems are serious," Slom said. "All of these union
problems are not unique to the mainland."

Public workers showed their concern when several
hundred of them rallied last week with chants and signs
proclaiming they "stand with Wisconsin," a display of
unity, power and influence at the Hawaii Capitol, where
mostly Democratic lawmakers they helped elect do
business.

The demonstration was meant to show elected leaders
their opposition to fundamental labor reforms in Hawaii
when they believe they've already sacrificed enough
during an economic downturn that has hit their
paychecks.

"Look at the toll budget cuts are taking on our police
officers," said Kimo Smith of the State of Hawaii
Organization of Police Officers at the rally. "We're
not just numbers on a piece of paper."

Union strength in Hawaii grew in the 1940s and 1950s,
when workers for sugar plantations, hotels and other
industries launched strikes and protests over
conditions and pay that resulted in Democrats taking
control of the state Legislature in the 1954 elections,
where they've remained in power ever since.

Today, Hawaii is the third-most unionized state in the
nation, with 22 percent of workers being members of
labor unions in 2010, behind only New York at 24
percent and Alaska at 23 percent, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"We have a fairly high percentage of workers in unions
that hasn't resulted yet in a high level of militancy,"
said Eric Gill, secretary-treasurer for Unite Here
Local 5, which represents hotel and restaurant
employees. "There's a great potential for Hawaii
workers to gather their union rights, build their
leadership and become far more assertive in the
community than we are now."

Labor costs account for about 70 percent of Hawaii's
state government spending, putting unionized workers in
the middle of a political struggle as lawmakers try to
balance a budget with a projected $1.3 billion deficit
over the next two years.

The most serious legislation shrinking union rights
would have made public worker health premium costs
nonnegotiable, permanently setting them at a 50-50
split between the employee and the government.

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