HGEA

Save at Servco

HGEA members can enjoy special rates for select vehicles. Take advantage of these discounts today.

See More Events & Scholarships

Hawaii State AFL-CIO Scholarships

Apply Now! Applications due April 11.

APPLY NOW

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

March 24, 2025

April Benefits & Events

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 24, 2025

2025 Family Fun Day

UH Warriors Men’s Volleyball

Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m., Simplifi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center

Get tickets at special prices just for members. Only $5 for members, $10 for adult guests, $3 for youth guests. Regular price is $20 for adults. Admission is free for children under 4 years old.

BUY TICKETS NOW

_ALL ISLANDS_

Apply today! Hawaii

AFL-CIO Scholarships

Are you ready to take the next step in your education journey? Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to win one of three $1,000 scholarships! All submissions must be received or postmarked by Friday, April 11.

APPLY NOW

_HAWAII ISLAND_

Bingo Picnic Day

Saturday, April 5, 1-4 p.m., HGEA MPR

Sing your heart away at our picnic day. There will be karaoke, ono food, and of course, bingo! RSVP by April 2, 4:30 p.m.

Labor of Love Workforce Development

Saturday, April 12, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Pahoa High & Intermediate School

Volunteers needed! This is a great opportunity to give back to your community with your union ohana. If interested, please register by April 1.

_KAUAI_

Shoreline Fishing Tournament

Begins Friday, April 25, 12 a.m., Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall

Reeling in the fun competition! Join us for our Shoreline Fishing Tournament. Call our Kauai Island Division office at (808) 245-6751 to register today!

LEARN MORE

_MAUI_

Bingo Night

Tuesday, April 8, 5-7 p.m., David Trask Building #207

It’s bingo Tuesday! Join your union siblings for a fun evening.

Kwong Fook Tong Cemetery Clean Up

Saturday, April 12, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Kwong Fook Tong Cemetery

With spring just around the corner, let’s work together to beautify our community!

_OAHU_

Register for New Education & Training Pathways

Learn more about your rights as a member! Trainings are open to all dues-paying HGEA members.

April 10: Negotiations vs. Consultations

Bingo Night

Monday, April 21, 5-7 p.m., HGEA 1st Floor Meeting Hall

Looking for a fun activity to wait out Monday night traffic? Join your union siblings for bingo!

Volunteers needed! Best Buddies Friendship Walk

Saturday, April 26, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Magic Island

This is your chance to give back to the community! We need 10-20 volunteers age 13 and above to help for this walk. Shifts available. Register by March 28.

Save the date! UH Men’s Baseball

Sunday, May 4, 1:05 p.m., Les Murakami Stadium

Cheer on our UH men’s baseball team as they play against Oregon State!

BUY TICKETS NOW

Stamp Out Hunger

Saturday, May 10, 4-9:30 p.m., 2611 Kilihau Street, Honolulu, HI 96819

Take action and make change in your community! Stamp out hunger with us at the Hawaii Foodbank Warehouse.

Featured Partner: Dave & Busters

Dave & Busters will open its new location in Ala Moana on April 14!

Featured Partner: Gilbert’s Refinishing

Need furniture refurbishing and repair? HGEA Members can receive a special discount on labor costs!

Featured Partner: Raynor Hawaii Overhead Door

For over 30 years, RHOD has been providing top quality service to the community. Discounted services available to HGEA members only!

Featured Partner: Tropical Creations Jewelry

For more than 40 years, Tropical Creations has been manufacturing jewelry in Honolulu. Save on beautiful gifts for the whole family!

Featured Partner: YMCA

Calling all educators! Enjoy this special discount applicable only to you at any YMCA in Honolulu.

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA Scoops
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

March 24, 2025

?THP Update?Honolulu City & County

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 21, 2025

HONOLULU CITY & COUNTY

Temporary Hazard Pay Update

Here’s how we’re fighting for you.

Aloha Subscriber,

In his State of the City address, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said “we are in the home stretch of negotiations with HGEA” for temporary hazard pay, with “hopes to finalize that agreement soon.”

While it is true that we’re working to finalize a settlement, there are still conditions in the current iteration of an agreement that we find unacceptable. We are seeking to improve upon the terms to make sure that any settlement we bring to you is a fair and reasonable resolution for employees who put themselves, and their families, at risk.

We are just as eager as you are to bring this years-long fight to a close. But we need to do it in a way that compensates you fairly.

Rest assured, we’ve got your back. As always, we’ll update you as soon as we have something to share. Mahalo for staying #HGEAstrong!

Save at Servco

HGEA members can enjoy special rates for select vehicles. Take advantage of these discounts today.

Hawaii State AFL-CIO Scholarships

Apply Now! Applications due April 11.

See More Events & Scholarships

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

?THP Update?Kauai County Close to Distributing Payments

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 20, 2025

KAUAI COUNTY

Temporary Hazard Pay Update

County Payroll currently processing payments.

Aloha Subscriber,

HGEA has learned that the Kauai County Payroll Department is currently processing temporary hazard pay checks that will be dated for March 24.

This payment will not be disbursed via direct deposit. Departments will be responsible for distributing checks to eligible active employees. Employees who have since left service will receive their checks in the mail.

Questions regarding the processing and distribution of THP payments should be directed to the employer — HGEA is not involved in this process.

We’re pleased that this years-long fight is coming to a close. Mahalo for staying #HGEAstrong!

Save at Servco

HGEA members can enjoy special rates for select vehicles. Take advantage of these discounts today.

Hawaii State AFL-CIO Scholarships

Apply Now! Applications due April 11.

See More Events & Scholarships

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Listen Now: ?️ Ep. 14 Federal Cuts ft. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 20, 2025

Welcome back to The Negotiation Table!

The Trump-Musk administration took over the federal government like a wrecking ball at the end of January, cutting vital public services, firing workers by the thousands, and threatening federal funding for local communities, all to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy billionaires.

With us this episode, we have US. Rep. Jill Tokuda back on the podcast to help bring clarity during these tumultuous times.

Tell us how federal funding cuts are impacting your job or the services you provide at yourstory@hgea.org.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

A total of 29 members are running for seats on the HGEA Board of Directors, with contested races for president, Units 3 and 13, and Oahu At-Large, to serve from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.

New eBallots

This year, the election will be conducted digitally through our secure, third-party election provider eBallot. Electronic ballots will be emailed to the addresses we have on file.

To make sure you receive a ballot, confirm that your contact info is current at hgea.org/mycontact.

MEET THE CANDIDATES

ELECTION INFORMATION

Kaimuki High School Principal Lorelei Aiwohi and Maui Waena Intermediate School Principal Jacquelyn McCandless, both members of Unit 6, have been named the state’s 2025 National Principals of the Year by the Hawaii Association of Secondary School Administrators. McCandless is the middle school honoree and Aiwohi is the high school honoree.

The HGEA ohana celebrates these two dedicated public servants and educators who prove every single day that Hawaii really does work best when we do. Congratulations!

WATCH NOW

2025 Family Fun Day

UH Warriors Men’s Volleyball

Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m., Simplifi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center

Get tickets at special prices just for members. Only $5 for members, $10 for adult guests, $3 for youth guests. Regular price is $20 for adults. Admission is free for children under 4 years old.

BUY TICKETS NOW

Congratulations, Coach Laura Beeman!

As we continue to celebrate National Athletic Professionals Month, cheers to University of Hawaii Basketball Head Coach, Laura Beeman, Unit 8, for earning her third Big West Coach of the Year!

Meet the First and Only Female Watercraft Operator

Unit 15’s Kapua Chang is breaking barriers as a water safety officer. She’s the first —and only — female rescue watercraft operator.

“My goal is to help inspire more women to try out and become a part of the team,” Chang told MidWeek.

Congratulations, Renee Kim!

Meet one of Unit 2’s real superheroes, Renee Kim. As the food service manager at Wilson Elementary, she was awarded Manager of the Year for her outstanding work providing healthy, nutritious meals that help our keiki thrive!

Save at Servco

HGEA members can enjoy special rates for select vehicles. Take advantage of these discounts today.

See More Scholarships & Events

Hawaii State AFL-CIO Scholarships

Apply Now! Applications due April 11.

APPLY NOW

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The results are in!

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 17, 2025

Aloha Subscriber,

Hawaii County Unit 13 engineers and architects voted to approve the supplemental agreement for a new salary schedule.

Total votes cast: 17

Total yes votes: 15

Percentage: 88%

Mahalo to everyone who voted!

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Join us for the Shoreline Fishing Tournament in April??

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 14, 2025

Join your HGEA union sisters and brothers for some friendly competition!

Begins: Friday, April 25 at 12 A.M.

Ends: Sunday, April 27 at 11 A.M.

Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall

RSVP by calling the Kauai HGEA Office at (808) 245-6751.

LEARN MORE

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA Scoops
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

✅❎ Ratification: Unit 15 Ocean Safety Promotions

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 14, 2025

Aloha Subscriber,

Hawaii County Fire Department and HGEA has negotiated a supplement agreement to incorporate an education and experience component into the promotional process for water safety officers to better evaluate the qualifications of applicants.

The current promotional process is based solely on an interview score with seniority as the final determining factor if applicant scores are classified as “relatively equal.”

The new provisions of this supplemental agreement will provide a more objective basis to rank qualified applicants and align Ocean Safety’s process with the county’s firefighter promotions. Additional criteria is included to clarify what the term “relatively equal” means for promotions.

Ratification for the new supplemental agreement begins on Monday, March 17 and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 21.

Under the proposed agreement, the following would apply to affected employees:

No change to the current oral interview/assessment center evaluation. This will count for 75% of the applicant’s total score.
An education and experience score will be incorporated into the promotional process and count for 25% of the applicant’s total score.
The education component, relevant to the administrative duties of the advanced Ocean Safety positions, will be scored by assigning points based on an applicant’s possession of an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree.
The experience component points will be computed based on years of service for each creditable rank within the department’s Ocean Safety program.
Applicants’ E&E score shall be weighed against other factors, including performance evaluations and assessment scores, to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of each candidate’s suitability for promotion.
Seniority shall continue to be a factor in promotions with the consideration of Ocean Safety experience as a part of the E&E component and as the deciding factor in the case of a tie in the final score.
All promotional candidates will receive a breakdown of their total score, including their E&E score, seniority consideration, and any other factors used in the promotion decision.

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

Questions? Contact Union Agent Riley Iyo at riyo@hgea.org or (808) 961-0766.

Voting Information

All voting will be done through electronic ballot. Only affected HGEA members are eligible to vote.
Voting starts on Monday, March 17 and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 21.
On March 17, an electronic ratification ballot will be sent to your personal email address from “HGEA Ballot,” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA-COH BU15 SA Ratification for Ocean Safety Promotions.“

Results of the ratification vote will be reported after voting has closed and the results have been certified.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

?Announcing the Candidates Running for 2025 HGEA State Board ?️

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 10, 2025

We’re pleased to announce the following candidates for the 2025-2027 HGEA State Board of Directors*:

PRESIDENT (1 seat)

Jon A. Gasper

Ginet U. Hayes

Jason R. Locke

UNIT 3 DIRECTORS (5 seats)

Helena R. Brown

Ebony V. Butihi

Joy L. Ring-Gadow

Darleen K. Hoshida

Lakea C.A.K. Tjomsland

Janet P. Valdez

Darren A. Weaver

UNIT 13 DIRECTORS (3 seats)

Daniel “Danny” de Gracia

Amanda R.K. Lowrey

Cheryl L. Pokipala

Muhammad A. Quadri

Jamie M.H. Robertson-Leong

Amanda “Mandi” White

Bennett T. Yap

OAHU DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (1 seat)

Derek K. Minakami

Elwyn L. Watkins

The following candidates are unopposed:

UNIT 2 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Jaclyn Y. Andrade

UNIT 4 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Leila L. Kim

UNIT 6 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

James L. Sunday

UNIT 8 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Jaret K.C. Leong

UNIT 9 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Josette K. Kawana

UNIT 14 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Robert K. Umiamaka

UNIT 15 DIRECTOR (1 seat)

Chad K. Listman

HAWAII DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (1 seat)

Kaloa R.N. Robinson

KAUAI DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (1 seat)

Bronson B. Carvalho

MAUI DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (1 seat)

Cameron J. Dexter

*Although these candidates have been certified by meeting the criteria of providing 15 signatures required by the HGEA Bylaws, Article III, Elections, Section 5, Nominations, it should be noted that the “challenge period” will continue until Monday, March 17, 2025. If no challenges are presented to the State Committee on Elections, those candidates that are the sole candidate for their respective office will be deemed to be elected. All other offices will have contested races.

Ballots will be emailed to HGEA members’ personal email addresses in late March. If you have any questions, please contact HGEA Field Services Officer Chad Ngai, (808) 543-0042 or cngai@hgea.org

Retiring soon? Join our retirees unit to stay in the fight.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Ratification: Compensation for Unit 13 Engineers & Architects

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | March 10, 2025

Aloha Subscriber,

Since ratifying an agreement to increase the County of Hawaii’s Unit 13 Engineering Classes’ compensation last year, HGEA has been fighting for architects to receive the same recruitment and retention adjustment. We’re pleased to announce that Mayor Kimo Alameda’s administration has agreed to do so.

Ratification for the new supplemental agreement will begin on Wednesday, March 12 and end at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 14.

Under the proposed agreement that’s effective retroactive to March 1, 2025, the following would apply to affected employees:

Placement on a new Engineering/Architecture salary schedule at their respective salary range and step. Affected employees will see an increase in their salary (as outlined in the Draft Supplemental Agreement) compared to what they would receive with the current Unit 13 salary schedule.
Individual increases will be determined by calculating the difference between the employee’s existing salary on the current Unit 13 salary schedule and the higher rate on the new Engineering/Architecture salary schedule at the employee’s current pay range and step.
Affected employees covered by the previous agreement relating to engineering job classes will continue to receive the same increase under this new proposed supplemental agreement.
Continuation of applicable step movements as employees become eligible according to the Unit 13 step movement plan (except following an equity adjustment). Any adjusted step movement date resulting from an equity adjustment provided under the Supplemental Agreement, BU13 Compensation for Engineering Classes of Work, dated October 28, 2024, shall be carried over for employees covered under this agreement.
Possible approval of an equity adjustment for employees if a new employee within a job class covered by this agreement is hired above the minimum step in the same department and is paid significantly higher than an employee in the same or higher job class with similar duties/responsibilities.

HGEA recommends that you vote “Yes” to approve this agreement.