April 25- Binding arbitration

Aloha.

Recently, an arbitrator awarded raises to Hawai`i Government Employees which will average 5 percent per year and cost the State $97.3 million over the next two years. 

Let me be clear, I value our government employees.  They do a fine job and are deserving of reasonable cost of living raises.

However, it is not fiscally prudent to continue to take almost every single penny of the State’s revenue increases and use it for collective bargaining increases.

This trend has forced the State to forego a number of vital priorities for its citizens.

It means we won’t have the money we should to help our needy, to repair deteriorating harbors or to maintain schools.  And we won’t have the money we should to help citizens who do not work for the State.

While the State won’t go broke, we will lose many opportunities to make Hawai`i a better place to live and work.

I urge the Legislature to revoke binding arbitration as it provides unrealistically high pay raises, while providing a “starting and ending point” for negotiations with other unions. 

Together, we must act now before we permanently mortgage the future of Hawai`i’s children.

Mahalo.  This is Governor Linda Lingle.