STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1898

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.C.R. No. 61

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 61 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TO ESTABLISH OBJECTIVE STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR SPLITTING OFF A GROUP OF STATE WORKERS INTO A NEW BARGAINING UNIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Office of Collective Bargaining to establish objective standards and criteria for splitting off a group of state workers into a new bargaining unit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Collective Bargaining and United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature continues to consider measures requesting that additional bargaining units be established but lacks objective standards and criteria to evaluate whether a new bargaining unit is appropriate. Your Committee believes that the protection of fair working conditions and workers' rights are important topics that should not be addressed in a haphazard manner but with the benefit of standards and criteria that can be applied without bias.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Hawaii Labor Relations Board establish the objective standards and criteria for splitting off a group of state workers into a new bargaining unit, instead of the Office of Collective Bargaining;

(2) Changing its title to make technical amendments; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 61, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 61, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair