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Posted: Thursday, February 28th, 2013 9:00 AM HST

Abercrombie contract comments anger teachers

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

Hawai`i public school teachers say they were shocked and angered to hear Governor Neil Abercrombie tell a group of the nation’s governors that the state may again impose a contract if a new two-year deal isn’t reached by the time the current one expires. The teachers have been working under a "last, best and final offer" the state unilaterally imposed in July 2011 when talks reached an impasse. That contract, which is set to expire June 30, hit teachers with pay cuts and a higher share of health insurance premiums. Abercrombie told an education and workforce panel at the National Governor’s Association meeting in Washington, D.C., that the Hawai`i State Teacher’s Association has been fighting "tooth and nail" against performance-based teacher evaluations as part of a new contract despite, he said, buy-in from teachers and students.