More than 14,000 Hawaii Government Employees Association union members are slated to receive lump sum payment and raise over the next three years.
More than 14,000 Hawaii Government Employees Association union members are slated to receive lump sum payment and raise over the next three years.
HGEA Unit 3 and Unit 4 members, which comprises white collar employees and white collar supervisors, respectively, voted to ratify a new two-year contract effective July 1 through June 30, 2017, according to the HGEA. Of the 5,553 votes cast by the white collar employees, 73 percent, of 4,078 voted to ratify the contract. Of the 309 votes cast by white collar supervisors, 224 called for ratification.
Effective July 1, the step movement plan will be restored and HGEA employees will be placed on the appropriate step for salary schedules and a $1,500 lump sum payment will be made to employees on the maximum step of the salary schedule as well as employees hired prior to July 1, who would not otherwise receive a step movement during the period July 1 to June 30, 2016, according to the HGEA.
Effective July 1, 2016, the step movement plan will continue and a $1,200 lump sum payment will be made to all employees, according to the HGEA.
Effective January 1, 2017, all employees will receive a 1.6 percent salary increase, according to the HGEA.
The units comprise approximately 3,000 school educational assistants, thousands of clerks and secretaries throughout all departments, court bailiffs, highway construction inspectors, 911 operators and police radio dispatchers, zoning inspectors, and many other positions that keep our government services functioning properly.
Unit 3 has approximately 13,500 members while Unit 4 has approximately 825 members, according to the HGEA.
“Unit 3 and 4 members work tirelessly every day to provide vital services to make Hawaii a special place to live, work and visit,” said HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira. “The contract achieved the negotiating teams’ main priorities, which were the restoration of the step movement plan and placement of employees on their appropriate step.” HGEA continues to work for fair compensation for Hawaii’s public workers.”