He asked the motorists who stopped at the traffic light whether they belonged to a union. Fellow union members, the doctor said, don't cross picket lines. Dr. Diamond, who admits that he makes quite a bit above the average professor salary at Hawaii, said he supported the union for his less fortunate colleagues. They're similar to average salaries at Western Michigan and Florida State Universities, and the community college professors earn, on average, salaries comparable to the national averages. But in Hawaii the money doesn't go as far.
Some rankings list only New York City as more expensive to live than Honolulu.
The federal government pays island workers an extra 25 percent because of the high cost of living. Professors question whether the governor, whom they see as more interested in tourism projects such as a new aquarium, has the desire to compete in the international labor market for talented faculty members. They fear that while sunshine and surfing make up some of the difference, a lack of competitive salaries will eventually make the institution more similar to the University of Guam than the University of Colorado. The coffee, though, remained untouched. Later, Pal Wessel, chairman of the geology department, joined the line with his wife and two young children.