Bill > HB1763

This bill, titled the Collective Bargaining; Public Sector Unions; City & County of Honolulu Package, aims to allow the State and the four counties in Hawaii to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with public sector unions independently and separately from each other. It amends various sections of Hawaii Revised Statutes, primarily Chapter 89, which governs collective bargaining in the public sector. Key changes include redefining "Employer" and "Jurisdiction" to clarify that each county and the State are distinct employers, and modifying how bargaining units are represented and how employers negotiate. For instance, the bill alters the composition of negotiation teams and the voting power of different entities within those teams, particularly for units involving state and county employees. It also adjusts the procedures for resolving disputes, including mediation and arbitration, and clarifies the scope of negotiations, emphasizing that individual jurisdictions have the sole authority to negotiate agreements for their respective employees. The bill also makes minor adjustments to strike provisions and prohibited practices to align with the concept of separate bargaining for each jurisdiction.