Moanalua Middle School math teacher David Arakaki said depending on teachers' qualifications, that could mean varying pay increases between 17 percent and 21 percent. When the strike began April 5, the union was asking for a 22 percent increase while the state was offering 14 percent. The step increases do not apply to those at the top of the pay scale, at Step 14a. That includes 30-year veteran Daffny Sato, who said she still voted yes, mostly so that the younger teachers could take advantage of the money the step increases provide. They would have made a lot less than I did, and I didn't think it was very fair, so I had to do this, even if it meant some kind of sacrifice.
Instruction resumes tomorrow.
A far cry, said some, from the original push for retroactive pay from last school year. This is a good contract. They didn't want to give us any retroactive pay. We worked very hard, we been out there a day shy of three weeks. But in light of the education and money lost, some still wonder if it was worth it.