Gov. Lingle accuses mayors of complicating state labor talks - ...

Mufi the savior, must be because he knows NoBama

Lingle once again shows us how unwilling she is to be reasonable. She is a dictator, can't wait to leave Hawaii, I think she really hates us.

Lingle is a lame duck governor and Mufi is running for higher office and needs the unions and their vote to run.

Once upon a time I thought Mufi was good for Hawaii.

The past few months, he has totally lost my trust.

Democratic Mayors and the Unions support one another, its the general public that gets screwed every time and the unions represent their own interest and not the general public.

All political posturing by the mayors who walk hand in hand with the Unions, and any body associated with Unions is a detriment to the people of Hawaii. Issue the pink slips Monday Lingle so we can be on the road to recovery with a leaner, trimmer, goverment that will do more with less. The light at the end of the tunnel is beckoning your call Lingle.

Disappointed wrote:

Once upon a time I thought Mufi was good for Hawaii.
The past few months, he has totally lost my trust.

I'm sure the Mayor is really disappointed.

Hannemann should just keep his MOUTH SHUT and stop grandstanding just because he plans to run for Governor. He is just sickening trying to bias the gov's position by saying he can break the impasse or take the lead and she should follow the lead of the county mayors etc...

independent wrote:

Lingle once again shows us how unwilling she is to be reasonable. She is a dictator, can't wait to leave Hawaii, I think she really hates us.

You are an IDIOT.....what Lingle should do is just issue the pink slips and get the process moving in laying off state employees....these fat, spoiled cats who think they are indispensable and untouchable....if anything, its the UNIONS who have a tight fist on the State which has resulted in a bloated state bureaucracy with its heavy handed salaries and benefits.....

Lingle is a fool. She will not be able to start layoffs! There are byzantine rules regarding layoffs and it will take months, if not years, to get that done. Better to sit down and hammer out a plan to start saving money right away.

Judge Sakamoto already ruled that furloughs are subject to collective bargaining. B-A-R-G-A-I-N-I-N-G

The more Lingle stalls, the longer the state goes on spending at its current rate.

As they say on death row, any last requests before the midnight hour. Its three day furloughs or layoffs and nothing less.

"Hannemann, who is studying a run for governor in 2010, denied criticisms that his actions with the unions are politically motivated."

Now that's the funniest thing I've ever heard, not politically motivated. Come on Hannemann, both you and the other county mayors are aspiring to either climb the political ladder or just hold on to what you've got. Lingle on the other hand is a lame duck Governor and if she has any aspirations of climbing a political ladder, it would be on the National level, not locally. It's time for all you mayors to realize that the voters have come to realize that theirs and yours only interest rest with the unions and special interest. I don't think that's what we voted for when we elected you into office.

Ah, satch7 brings up the myth of the great benefits.
For all those that think state employees get great bennies, I can assure you that Hawaii's retirement flat-out sucks compared to other states where I've worked. There's no option for employee matching as there is in the private sector.
Health care? That's a basic need. And, again, we have insurance plans that are more costly than those in other states. Paid maternity leave? Zilch, although it's commonplace among big private employers and the federal government. And the new prescription plan is a big question mark. Mail-in to the mainland, which takes jobs from pharmacists here in the state.
Holidays? We-haw we get about 3 days more than 'average.' Don't forget that the average includes lots of hourly jobs that provide no vacation. Paid vacation days are actually pretty comparable to that found for permanent jobs in the private sector. And we're all way behind places like Europe, where annual worker productivity is just as high.

Lingle is killing Hawaii wrote:

Lingle is a fool. She will not be able to start layoffs! There are byzantine rules regarding layoffs and it will take months, if not years, to get that done. Better to sit down and hammer out a plan to start saving money right away.
Judge Sakamoto already ruled that furloughs are subject to collective bargaining. B-A-R-G-A-I-N-I-N-G
The more Lingle stalls, the longer the state goes on spending at its current rate.

Actually Lingle is brillant. Everything you said is true except for her hammering out a deal.

Lingle is nor running for office so she can do something that's political suicide but will help Hawaii in the long run. It's all about who actually runs the State, the Unions or elected individuals. All the Mayors action prove that they are union controlled. The State will suffer big time in the short run because of her action but will benefit big time in the long run because this could be the opportunity to break the Unions control of the State.

Empty suit Mufi is getting in the way, trying to get a photo-op for his run against Abecrombie, but really interfering with Lingle and HGEA, UPW negotiations. How pathetic, Mufi.

Judge Sakamoto said, "you gotta negotiate first, it is in the Constitution."

Ok. Lingle negotiates, it falls through because the Unions are greedy and want us to suffer some more (and the Unions want to inappropriately raid the Hurricane Fund, while one of those this way comes.)

Mufi, get the hell out of the way.

Governor Lingle, ignore that knuckle-dragger.

If the Unions continue to dodge a formal proposal, do not $#@& around, Lingle, start laying them off RIGHT NOW.

Say, for example that when only 10% of the population are Union members, and another %10 (at most) also thrive off of the Union network, that means 80% of our population is non-union.

However, like a balloon fish, the Unions have been able to blow themselves up to be more bigger and powerful than they really are.

That those of us who formerly had nothing against Unions, now openly detest and despise such unchecked greed, signals all that we have had enough of the stranglehold these greedy Union pigs have on us.

70% folks. 70% of our budget and YOUR money is spent feeding the greedy Union hogs, and they want MORE.

Governor Lingle: Stay strong, to the point and start laying them off. NOW.

Now Lingle is choosing to be in presence at the meeting, why? is taking the time to be there non of her business? She is hiding. Doing what she think she could do, and don't want no one getting in her way. Put your cards on the table gov! get your butt there and face the music don't only swing the pointer get in front of the people the leaders and suck it up!

Lingle's refusal to negotiate and refusal to even come to negotiations constitues dereliction of duty and she should be impeached. And her infantile dispute about who called the Monday meeting speaks to her being mentally incompetent and she should be impeached. In short, LINGLE SHOULD BE IMPEACHED.

I hate to admit it but Lingles furlough plan helps the little guys more than the union proposed lay-offs. Due to the "bumping" that will occure with layoffs more workers wil be laid off. Unless we drop whole programs like fish reoplenishment or anyother projects that come before the legislator begging for general funds.

The union can not have both the jobs and the current salaries. The money is just not there and something will have to give. They are unwilling to go on the record for fear of membership reaction.

Lingle should start layoffs now which can be reversed when the union comes to the table with a more reasonable attitude.

independent wrote:

Lingle once again shows us how unwilling she is to be reasonable. She is a dictator, can't wait to leave Hawaii, I think she really hates us.

Gee, I'm not feeling much love from Mr. Tax and Spend, King Mufi. I know we shouldn't use god's (very small "g"/just an extremely enlarged head - no brain) name in vain.