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Posted: Friday, May 4th, 2012 5:42 AM HST

Hawaii teachers union to revisit rejected contract

By Associated Press

Hawaii's teachers union is asking members to revisit a contract they rejected in January. Hawaii State Teachers Association President Wil Okabe said Thursday no public sector union in the islands has ever asked its members to cast ballots on a contract they've already voted down. He says the contract is the best the union will get. Without the contract, he says the union won't have a say in new teacher evaluations reflecting student performance the state is developing. But Gov. Neil Abercrombie indicated the negotiating teams would need to update the contract before the union can vote on it again. He says the agreement doesn't currently have "legal standing." He says his negotiating team looks forward to crafting an agreement that "is clear, current, and correct."