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Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 377-5 (2026)

  Representatives and elections

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §377-5  Representatives and elections.  (a)  Representatives chosen for the purposes of collective bargaining by a majority of the employees voting in a collective bargaining unit shall be the exclusive representatives of all of the employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining.  Any individual employee or any minority group of employees in any collective bargaining unit shall have the right at any time to present grievances to their employer in person or through representatives of their own choosing.

     (b)  Whenever a question arises concerning the determination of a collective bargaining unit as defined in section 377-1, the board, in order to assure to employees the fullest freedom in exercising the rights guaranteed by this chapter, shall conduct an appropriate hearing upon due notice and it shall decide in each case the unit appropriate for the purpose of collective bargaining.

     (c)  Whenever a question arises concerning the representation of employees in a collective bargaining unit, the board shall determine the representatives thereof by taking a secret ballot of employees and certifying in writing the results thereof to the interested parties and to their employer.  There shall be included on any ballot for the election of representatives the names of all persons submitted by an employee or group of employees participating in the election, except that the board may in its discretion exclude from the ballot one who, at the time of the election, stands deprived of one's rights under this chapter by reason of a prior adjudication of one's having engaged in an unfair labor practice.  The ballot shall be so prepared as to permit of a vote against representation by anyone named on the ballot.  The board's certification of the results of any election shall be conclusive unless an appeal is taken therefrom under this chapter.

     (d)  Questions concerning the representation of employees may be raised by petition of any employee, or group of employees, or the employee's representative, or labor organization acting in their behalf, or by petition of the employee's employer in the case of jurisdictional disputes, or in any case after a union has requested recognition.  Where it appears by the petition that an emergency exists requiring prompt action, the board shall act upon the petition forthwith and hold the election requested within such time as will meet the requirements of the emergency presented.  The fact that one election has been held shall not prevent the holding of another election among the same group of employees, if it appears to the board that sufficient reason therefor exists.  In any election where the choices on the ballot do not receive a majority, a run off shall be conducted, the ballot providing for a selection between the two choices receiving the largest and second largest number of valid votes cast in the election. [L 1945, c 250, §7; RL 1955, §90-6; am L 1965, c 244, §3; HRS §377-5; am L 1985, c 251, §15; gen ch 1985]

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1981–2025 · leading case: Winslow v. State, 625 P.2d 1046 (Haw. App. 1981).
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Winslow v. State, 625 P.2d 1046 (Haw. App. 1981). · cites it 2× “HRS §§ 377-5 and 377-6 define those activities that constitute unfair labor practices.”
Hawaii Gov't Employees' Ass'n, Local 152 v. Armbruster, 681 P.2d 587 (Haw. App. 1984). · cites it 10× “HRS § 377-5(b) mandates that appellants raise a question “concerning the determination of a collective bargaining unit” presumably by a petition and that HERB determine the appropriate bargaining unit after a hearing upon due notice.”
Hawai'i Gov't Employees Ass'n v. Dep't of Pub. Saf.. (Haw. App. 2025). · cites it 2× “HRS § 377-5(a) (2015). Courts routinely hold that unions have associational standing to sue over matters affecting the working conditions of their members, or even over matters outside of working conditions.”
Hawai'i Gov't Employees Ass'n v. Dep't of Pub. Saf.. (Haw. App. 2025). · cites it 2× “HRS § 377-5(a) (2015). Courts routinely hold that unions have associational standing to sue over matters affecting the working conditions of their members, or even over matters outside of working conditions.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 377-5(a) — 2 cases
Hawai'i Gov't Employees Ass'n v. Dep't of Pub. Saf.. (Haw. App. 2025). “HRS § 377-5(a) (2015). Courts routinely hold that unions have associational standing to sue over matters affecting the working conditions of their members, or even over matters outside of working conditions.”
Hawai'i Gov't Employees Ass'n v. Dep't of Pub. Saf.. (Haw. App. 2025). “HRS § 377-5(a) (2015). Courts routinely hold that unions have associational standing to sue over matters affecting the working conditions of their members, or even over matters outside of working conditions.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 377-5(b) — 1 case
Hawaii Gov't Employees' Ass'n, Local 152 v. Armbruster, 681 P.2d 587 (Haw. App. 1984). “HRS § 377-5(b) mandates that appellants raise a question “concerning the determination of a collective bargaining unit” presumably by a petition and that HERB determine the appropriate bargaining unit after a hearing upon due notice.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 377-5(c) — 1 case
Hawaii Gov't Employees' Ass'n, Local 152 v. Armbruster, 681 P.2d 587 (Haw. App. 1984). “HRS § 377-5(b) mandates that appellants raise a question “concerning the determination of a collective bargaining unit” presumably by a petition and that HERB determine the appropriate bargaining unit after a hearing upon due notice.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 377-5(d) — 1 case
Hawaii Gov't Employees' Ass'n, Local 152 v. Armbruster, 681 P.2d 587 (Haw. App. 1984). “HRS § 377-5(b) mandates that appellants raise a question “concerning the determination of a collective bargaining unit” presumably by a petition and that HERB determine the appropriate bargaining unit after a hearing upon due notice.”
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