Updated on Friday, September 15, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.
Educational assistants and teaching assistants in Unit 3 voted to approve the EA and TA Repricing Supplemental Agreement. Ratification voting started on Tuesday, September 12 and ended today, September 15.
Total Votes Cast: 1,164
Total Yes Votes: 1,158
Percentage: 99.48% accept
HGEA and the DOE has negotiated and reached a tentative agreement to reprice the Educational Assistant and Teaching Assistant classes in Bargaining Unit 3.
The purpose of this agreement is to increase the pricing of the classes mentioned above to help with recruitment and retention of employees, and to recognize the increased duties and responsibilities of the classes.
Background
- There are approximately 600 vacant Educational Assistant positions within the Department of Education. The department’s inability to recruit and retain employees in these positions has been an ongoing concern of HGEA.
- HGEA made several demands to bargain increases in compensation for DOE employees in HGEA bargaining units.
- With the involvement of Governor Josh Green, who supports the DOE in their efforts to improve the recruitment and retention of Educational Assistants, and the support of Superintendent Keith Hayashi, discussions to address this recruitment and retention issue took place.
- The DOE recognizes that hiring and retaining qualified Educational Assistants and Teaching Assistants in the classroom to support teachers is crucial for student support and the development of our keiki.
- Increasing pricing for the Educational Assistant and Teaching Assistant classes is a step in addressing recruitment and retention for these crucial classroom support positions.
What This Supplemental Agreement Does
- The agreement before you for ratification increases the pricing of the Educational Assistant and Teaching Assistant classes by one (1) SR for SY 2023-2024 and one (1) SR for SY 2024-2025. The following table illustrates the salary range increase for each of the affected classes.
Effective July 1, 2023
| Educational Assistant I | SR-08 to SR-09 |
| Educational Assistant II | SR-10 to SR-11 |
| Educational Assistant III | SR-12 to SR-13 |
| Teaching Assistant I | SR-14 to SR-15 |
| Teaching Assistant II | SR-16 to SR-17 |
Effective July 1, 2024
| Educational Assistant I | SR-09 to SR-10 |
| Educational Assistant II | SR-11 to SR-12 |
| Educational Assistant III | SR-13 to SR-14 |
| Teaching Assistant I | SR-15 to SR-16 |
| Teaching Assistant II |
SR-17 to SR-18 |
- With the ratification of this agreement, the repricing (movement of two (2) salary ranges over 2 years) will be equivalent to an increase of approximately six (6) percent over two (2) years for an Educational Assistant I and eight (8) percent over two (2) years for an Educational Assistant II and III, and a Teaching Assistant I and II.
- There will be no impact to the EUTF contributions as the amount has previously been negotiated through June 30, 2025.
- The increase in compensation due to repricing will be in addition to the previously negotiated pay increases in effect through June 30, 2025.
Read the Supplemental Agreement
We Recommend You Vote ‘YES’ to Approve the Supplemental of Agreement
- If approved, the pricing for the Educational Assistant and Teaching Assistant classes will increase one (1) salary range retroactive to the start of the 2023-2024 school year and one (1) salary range effective the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
- If this agreement is not approved, the repricing increases will not be implemented and there will be no increase in compensation for the affected employees (other than the previously negotiated pay increases).
- All current DOE Educational Assistants and Teaching Assistants who are HGEA members are eligible to vote and we strongly recommend you vote ‘YES’ to approve this agreement.
Voting Procedure
An electronic ratification ballot will be sent to your personal email address on Tuesday, Sept. 12, from “HGEA Ballot” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA-EA/TA Repricing SA Ratification.”
Voting will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15.
If you do not see a ballot email in your personal email address inbox on Sept. 12:
- Check your Junk or Spam Folder.
- Go to https://www.hgea.org/requestballot for instructions on how to request a ballot. Requests for ballots must be received by 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 (no later than four hours before the close of electronic voting).