HONOLULU (AP) – The Hawaii Labor Relations Board is considering a complaint by the state teachers union that Gov. Neil Abercrombie tainted the board’s impartiality.
The labor board planned to take up the alleged ethics violation Thursday before proceedings into whether Abercrombie was able to impose a new contract without a vote of the teachers.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association claims Abercrombie, Board of Education Chairman Don Horner and Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi improperly interfered with the process when they sent a letter to the labor board discussing the potential for mediation.
The union says the letter breaks Hawaii laws and rules prohibiting such communications because they could sway the board’s decision.
Abercrombie has said his suggestion that the parties seek mediation wasn’t unethical.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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