Aloha, dK family, and Happy Friday! Except for an intervening stretch in the retail world, the propriator of The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy Office & Scotch Tape Shoppe has belonged to one union or another since he was 18-years-old -- a long time ago in a galaxy far far away -- and he has belonged to his current union, the Hawai`i Government Employees' Association (HGEA), for the past 24 years. While HGEA is not the most influential union in Hawai`i, it still has worked hard.
Continued below:
Today's post brought what will probably be the last HGEA mailout preceding this coming Tuesday's election, and it is quoted here for two reasons:
1. As a resident of Hawai`i and as an HGEA steward, the TVL-WCO&STS proprietor would like to be able to look at this whenever he wants to remind myself that our Governor is indeed bright red.
2. Even though it is hoped that any dK family members who are from Hawai`i are not supporting Governor Lingle's re-election bid, if any who see this are undecided and might be swayed not to vote for her, then perhaps the following from HGEA may help them in their final decision.
Here is the HGEA bulletin in its entirety:
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Tell Your co-workers about Lingle's track record!
* Called George W. Bush "the greatest president ever." (Advertiser 5/8/02)
* Said President Bush had credible evidence for war against Iraq. (Star-Bulletin 6/21/03)
* Rejected previous practice of giving all publlic employees the same raise, and she put HGEA units 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 13 in the lowest priority group. (Star-Bulletin 1/9/04)
* Introduced anti-HGEA bills to cap arbitration award at 1.5%, change arbitration factors, and split up Unit 3. (Advertiser 1/28/04)
* Before arbitration award was announced, she declared she would oppose it if she disagreed with the panel's decision. (Advertiser 3/25/04)
* In a letter to all state employees on 2003-05 contracts, she falsely said HGEA rejected her 4% raise offer. The truth is, she offered nothing during negotiations. For arbitration, she upped the offer to 0% [for the first year of the contract] and 1% [for the second year], with no step movements. (Linda Lingle's Open Letter to All State Employees, 4/8/04; Decision and Award of Arbitration Panel, 3/26/04)
* Vetoed HGEA's arbitration award. (Advertiser 5/3/04)
* Paid 65% of health insurance premiums for school teachers and university faculty, but only 60% for HGEA members. (President Ann Ebesuno's Open Letter to Governor Linda Lingle, 4/12/05)
* For 2005-07 contracts, she offered nothing during negotiations to force the issue into arbitration where she made her fist and only offer of 1.5% and no step movements. (Arbitration Panel Decision and Award, 4/14/05)
* Told GOP convention delegates that her reelection opponent includes the HGEA leadership. (Star-Bulletin 5/26/06)
Had enough? Then vote for Randy Iwase on Nov. 7!
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We here TVL-WCO&STS hope that everyone who can vote on Tuesday will vote, in Hawai`i and everywhere else. Even if you will be voting for Linda Lingle here in Hawai`i, please get out and vote.
Aloha to all of you, stay well, and please vote. Have a great weekend.