STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1095

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   S.B. No. 885

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to promote more meaningful discussion during the negotiation process relating to employer contributions to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) by, among other things:

     (1)  Repealing the prohibition against using arbitration to resolve impasses or disputes relating to state and county EUTF contributions;

 

     (2)  Repealing the Legislature's role in determining state and county contribution amounts where agreement cannot be reached; and

 

     (3)  Permitting bargaining unit members to use state and county EUTF contributions as a basis for striking.

 

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Local 1463, IAFF, AFL-CIO; and United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance testified in opposition of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, University of Hawaii, and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2113, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

		____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair