HGEA Negotiates Over Furloughs

Over the past several days, the Lingle Administration has been working with the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) to develop a plan to furlough state workers and stop the over 1,000 layoffs Lingle had threatened:

The Lingle administration has offered the union 24 furlough days this fiscal year starting in October and 24 days next fiscal year, along with a halt to layoffs except for staff at Kulani Correctional Facility on the Big Island, which is being closed.

--Honolulu Advertiser

Once the next fiscal year starts, workers will furlough two days per month, down from the three originally proposed. However, the deal includes that HGEA drop its legal charges against furloughs and complaint against the layoff plan. The state will even consider reducing furlough days and increasing health care premiums next March, but I doubt that will happen.

Looks to me like a win-win situation, so I say the unions should go for it!

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