After the bill became law, the unit had to be formally established through a petition with the HLRB, which is charged with establishing procedures and investigating and resolving any dispute concerning the designation of an appropriate bargaining unit and the application of Section 89-6, HRS to specific employees and positions within a bargaining unit.
In its petition to the HLRB submitted in October 2020, HGEA identified the various classes that should be included in Unit 15 — state and county ocean and water safety officers. None of the employers expressed any objections to the classes and series identified in our petition. We estimate the current number of employees in Unit 15 to be about 400.
The Unit 15 Board of Directors will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.