ILWU LOCAL 142 NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF

June/July 2006

VOICE ILWU

THE

page 1

Volume 46 • No. 5 June/July 2006

The VOICE of the ILWU—Published by Local 142, International Longshore & Warehouse Union

Next Local Executive Board Meeting scheduled for September 7-8, 2006 • 10:00 am • ILWU Union Hall, Honolulu

ADDRESS LABEL

ILWU LOCAL 142

NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

FOR 2007-2008-2009—see page 3

THINGS TO DO:

1) Elect delegates

2) Credentials must be received by the Local Secretary-Treasurer no later than August 28, 2006

3) Authorizations through unit finance policies or membership approvals must be in order to pay for

observer expenses

4) Hold meetings to prepare proposals, if any, for Convention. All proposed amendments to the

Constitution shall be submitted to the Local Sec.-Treas. at least 30 days before the opening day of

the Local Convention. (Art. 36.01.1)

C a l l t o O r d e r 1 2 : 0 0 n o o n M o n d a y , S e p t e m b e r 2 5C a l l t o O r d e r 1 2 : 0 0 n o o n M o n d a y , S e p t e m b e r 2 5

C a l l t o O r d e r 1 2 : 0 0 n o o n M o n d a y , S e p t e m b e r 2 5

I n t e r n a t i o n a l L o n g s h o r e & W a r e h o u s e U n i o n , L o c a l 1 4 2

S e p t e m b e r 2 5 - 2 6 - 2 7 - 2 8 - 2 9 , 2 0 0 6

R i t z C a r l t o n K a p a l u a , M a u i

B u i l d i n g I L W U T o d a y f o r a B e t t e r T o m o r r o w

C C

L L L L

L L

t o t h e 2 4 t h C o n v e n t i o n

“An Injury to One is an Injury to All”

or the first time, the ILWU

Local 142 will be holding its

convention on a Neighbor Island

instead of the Island of Oahu. The

convention will also be held for

the first time at an ILWU orga-

nized hotel, The Ritz-Carlton

Kapalua, which edged out a field

of six other ILWU hotels with the

right combination of meeting

facilities, reasonable room rates,

favorable location near local food,

and sufficient airline flights from

all other islands. The convention

will start on Monday, September

25 and end on Friday, September

29, 2006.

—continued on page 2

ILWU 142

Convention

site moved

to Maui

First time on

neighbor island

VOICE ILWU

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page 2 June/July 2006

The convention was originally

scheduled to be held at the Ilikai

Hotel in Honolulu from September

18-22, 2006. However, the hotel was

sold in February 2006, the manage-

ment contract with Renaissance was

terminated, and the new owners

began moving forward with the

renovation and sale of half of the

hotel rooms as condominium units.

The problems became more and

more serious. First, the new owners

had other priorities and the change

in management upset many previous

arrangements reached with the

Renaissance team on use of the hotel

facilities. Second, there were not

enough rooms available at reason-

able rates for the 400 plus delegates

expected to attend the convention

and many would have to be housed

at other hotels. Third, the new

owners had scheduled renovation

work in September which would

affect the meeting rooms. Fourth, the

collective bargaining agreement with

the hotel and HERE Local 5 expired

and there would be the possibility of

a labor dispute involving the Ilikai

and other Waikiki hotels around the

time of the convention.

Forced to move

The contract with the Ilikai

provides for a cancellation without

penalty if done at least 45 days

before the event. After reviewing the

situation, the executive committee of

the union made the decision to

cancel the contract and move the

ILWU’s 24th Convention to another

hotel. There were a number of

ILWU democracy is based on

putting the members of the

union in charge of their union.

They do this by meeting in

convention to decide the

policies and programs of the

union, set the finances and

budget, and make all other

rules which govern the union.

The convention is the highest

governing body of the union. It

is held once every three years

in the month of September, and

is attended by approximately

400 rank and file members who

are elected by their co-workers

from ILWU “units” throughout

the State of Hawaii. A “unit” is

the union organization at each

job site or company, such as

the Ritz-Carlton unit, which is

made up of all the ILWU

members who work at that

hotel. However, there are also

units such as Foodland with

many job sites and some units

which represent only certain

workers within a company.

Every unit with 10 or more

members is entitled to at least

one delegate, with additional

delegates based on

membership. About 120 units

are expected to send delegates

to the Convention.

The work of the convention

takes five full days (and a few

evenings) of meetings and

deliberations to complete. On

the first day, delegates will work

in three committees to review a

ILWU 142 Convention to be held

at Ritz-Carlton Kapalua

—continued from page 1

requirements—the hotel had to have

at least 12,000 square feet of ban-

quet and meeting facilities, have

enough rooms for five days in Sep-

tember, and offer all of this at a

reasonable price.

Nothing was available on Oahu for

the required dates, but seven ILWU

organized hotels on Kauai, the Big

Island, and Maui had potential—the

Grand Hyatt Kauai, the Fairmont

Orchid Hawaii, the Hilton Waikoloa

Village, the Hyatt Regency Maui, the

Grand Wailea Resort, the Westin

Maui, and the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

The number of airline flights from

other islands and the availability of

inexpensive, local food near the hotel

narrowed the field to Maui and

finally to the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.

The ILWU has always held the

meetings of its highest governing

body on the island of Oahu, usually

alternating between the Sheraton

Waikiki and Ilikai hotels. Even

though the majority of the union’s

membership live and work on the

Neighbor Islands, Oahu was a

convenient gathering place. The

Honolulu airport is the central hub

for flights to and from all islands.

Government offices, attorneys,

accountants, and other professionals

the union had to deal with are based

in Honolulu.

Logistics and expenses

The statewide headquarters of the

union is also located near Waikiki

and has the staff and the printing

presses, collating and stapling

machines to produce the tremendous

Unit 2523 - Ritz Carlton Kapalua

What is the Convention

and what does it do?

L o c a l 1 4 2 C o n v e n t i o n

amount of printed materials required

by the convention. ILWU-style

democracy gives delegates the power

to make and change policies and this

requires printing thousands of copies

of reports and resolutions throughout

the five days of the convention.

Holding the convention on another

island would require bringing some

of the Oahu based office workers to

staff a work room with computers

and high speed printers and copiers.

Guest speakers would also need to be

flown to the island and housed.

Besides the added logistical ex-

penses, the costs for rooms and food

will be higher. Most of the ILWU

organized hotels are luxury-class

resorts with higher room rates then

Waikiki. The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua,

for example is rated as a Five Star

hotel with the highest levels of

service and amenities, while the

Ilikai Waikiki is a Three Star hotel

with basic services and moderate

room rates. The Ritz-Carlton will be

giving the convention a very competi-

tive rate, but it is still higher than

the rates at a hotel like the Ilikai.

Some of the higher cost is due to the

fact that ILWU members who work

at the Ritz-Carlton earn higher

wages and receive better benefits

than Waikiki workers under the

HERE Local 5 contract.

Holding the 24th ILWU Conven-

tion on Maui at the Ritz-Carlton,

Kapalua will be a new experience for

the union and for the convention

delegates. The delegates may well

decide that all future conventions

should be held at ILWU hotels. ◆

series of reports on the work of

the union in the last three years

and proposed plans for the next

three years. These reports cover

the following program areas:

contract administration, political

action, education and publicity,

and membership services.

On the second day, delegates

continue their work in two different

committees. One committee will

review the officers’ report,

organizing, and propose policies

in the form of resolutions. The

second committee will review and

recommend changes to the

union’s constitution and by-laws.

The work of all five committees

must then be approved by the

entire delegation to the

convention.

On the third or fourth day,

delegates will review and adopt a

budget to fund the work of the

union and any proposed

programs. On the fifth and last

day, delegates will nominate the

candidates for the top elected

officers of the union—the

president, vice-president,

secretary-treasurer—and

industrial grouping members of

the local executive board.

Throughout the five days,

delegates will also hear from

invited guest speakers and

remarks from the Local 142

President and the ILWU

International Officers.

◆

• LOCATION: One Ritz Carlton Drive, Kapalua, Hawaii

• TYPE OF COMPANY: Golf Resort Hotel

• INDUSTRIAL GROUPING: Tourism

• ILWU MEMBERS SINCE: 1992

• TOTAL UNION MEMBERSHIP: 450

• BARGAINING UNIT MAKEUP: Job classifications include Bar-

tenders, Bar Porters, Cocktail Servers, Hosts/Hostesses, Servers,

Banquest Captains, Banquet Porters, Housekeepers, House and

Hall Attendants, Inspectors, Linen Room Attendants, Laundry

Attendants, Pressers, Seamstresses, Lobby Expeditors, Valets,

Bell Captains and Attendants, Beach and Pool Attendants,

Cooks, Pantry workers, Pastry workers, Stewards, Maintenance

workers, Landscapers and Equipment Operators and more.

• UNIT OFFICERS: Unit Chair Michael Spath, 1st V. Chair Kanaiela

Palazzotto, Treasurer Amy Kawaguchi, Secretary Agnes Talihan.

STEWARDS: Marco Bato, Adam Borowiec, Stanford Brody,

Ronald Busby, Roland Caguioa, Evelyn Hockings, Michelle

Imokawa, Anna Johnson, Nathan Laborte, Brandon Lurendez,

Marla Pincott, Angela Raphael, Leonardo Reyes Rojas, Margie

Ruiz, Sione Tauese, Tovio Tufuga, Troy Yabo.

• BUSINESS AGENT: Wayne Takehara

June/July 2006

VOICE ILWU

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The VOICE of the ILWU (ISSN 0505-8791) is published

monthly except April and combined June/July and October/

November issues for $2 per year by Hawaii International

Longshore & Warehouse Union, 451 Atkinson Drive,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96814. Periodicals postage paid at the

post office of Honolulu, Hawaii.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VOICE of the

ILWU, c/o ILWU Local 142, 451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu,

HI 96814. Editorial Board: Fred Galdones, Donna Domingo

and Guy K. Fujimura.

Editor: Mel Chang

rev 7/3/00 eo

I L W U L O C A L 1 4 2

NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2007-2008-2009

—PROCEDURES—

NOMINATION—September 1-15, 2006

Nomination Petitions (ILWU-E-Form 14) signed by 25 members in good standing

must be submitted to the Local Secretary-Treasurer between September 1 and

September 15, 2006, inclusive. The Local President, Vice President, Secretary-

Treasurer, and members of the Local Executive Board At-Large from the

Industrial Groupings shall be nominated from the floor at the Local Convention.

PRIMARY ELECTION (IF NECESSARY)—Nominations and primary election of

the Local President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and members of the

Local Executive Board At-Large from the Industrial Groupings shall be held on the

last day of the Convention (September 29, 2006).

ELECTION—November 11-17, 2006, to conclude 4 p.m. Friday, November 17,

2006 (but not to exceed five (5) days). The specific date for the election in your

Unit will be printed in the VOICE of the ILWU.

RUN-OFF ELECTION (IF NECESSARY)—December 4-8, 2006, to conclude 4

p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2006.

1. OFFICERS TO BE NOMINATED AT THE CONVENTION

TITLED OFFICERS

Local President ........................................ 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of the entire membership.

Local Vice President ................................ 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of the entire membership.

Local Sec.-Treas. ..................................... 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of the entire membership.

INDUSTRIAL GROUPING LOCAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

Sugar ..................... 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of all members in the sugar industrial grouping.

Pineapple ......... 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of all members in the pineapple industrial grouping.

Longshore ........ 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of all members in the longshore industrial grouping.

General Trades .... 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of all members in the general trades industrial grouping.

Tourism ................ 1 to be elected by Statewide voting of all members in the tourism industrial grouping.

2. OFFICERS TO BE NOMINATED BY PETITIONS SIGNED

BY 25 MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING AND SUBMITTED

TO THE LOCAL SECRETARY-TREASURER BETWEEN

SEPTEMBER 1 AND SEPTEMBER 15, 2006, INCLUSIVE.

DIVISION OFFICERS ............................................................ Hawaii Maui Kauai Oahu

DIVISION DIRECTOR ........................................................... 1 1 1 1

DIVISION TRUSTEE ............................................................. 1 1 1 1

DIVISION LOCAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER .............. 1 1 1 1

BUSINESS AGENTS—AT LARGE ....................................... 6 6 2 6

DELEGATES TO THE 2009

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ......................................... Hawaii Maui Kauai Oahu

AT LARGE ............................................................................. 2 1 - 1

LONGSHORE INDUSTRIAL GROUPING ............................. 1 1 1 1

GENERAL TRADES INDUSTRIAL GROUPING ................... 1 1 1 1

PINEAPPLE INDUSTRIAL GROUPING ................................ - 1 - 1

SUGAR INDUSTRIAL GROUPING ....................................... - 1 1 -

TOURISM INDUSTRIAL GROUPING ................................... 1 1 1 1

Contact your Division Office for nomination petitions:

Hilo - 935-3727; Waimea - 885-6136; Wailuku - 244-9191; Lihue - 245-3374;

Honolulu - 949-4161. Job descriptions for Business Agent and Division

Director are available at your Division Office.

Nomination petitions for above

Offices must be submitted to the Local Secretary-Treasurer by September 15,

2006. Mail to: Local Secretary-Treasurer c/o 451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu

Hawaii 96814 OR hand deliver by 4:00 p.m.

If you require accommodation for voting under the Americans with Disabilities Act please

submit a written request to the Local Election Committee postmarked no later than

September 15, 2006 c/o 451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu Hawaii 96814.

International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 142 • 451 Atkinson Drive • Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

High gas prices good for sugar workers

How can the price of oil affect

the price of sugar? The answer is

ethanol. Brazil is a major pro-

ducer of sugar and also a major

producer of ethanol which is

blended with gasoline. When

gasoline prices are high enough,

Brazil can earn more money by

using its cane crop to make

ethanol for fuel instead of making

sugar for food. This reduces the

supply of sugar on the world

market which in turn pushes the

price higher.

The world price for raw sugar

hit a 25-year high in February

2006 when it sold for 19.73 cents

a pound. The price has dropped

somewhat but still averaged over

17 cents a pound for the first half

of 2006, compared with 11.35

cents for 2005.

Two other developments are

expected to keep sugar prices

high for the near future. Sugar

exports from the European Union

will be sharply reduced after the

Europeans carry out an agree-

ment to end government

subsidies to their sugar farmers,

and the people of China and India

are consuming more of the world

supply of sugar as their incomes

have been increasing.

High oil and gasoline prices have led to higher world

prices for sugar, and that is good news for Hawaii’s

sugar industry and workers.

The worldwide demand for sugar

has enabled sugar growers in the

United States to sell their raw

sugar for an average of 23.56 cents

for the first half of this year, which

is more than high enough to cover

the cost of production. ◆

Know non-union workers who need help organizing?

The ILWU represents workers in transportation, agriculture, tourism, automotive, retail, healthcare, and more!

If you know workers at a non-union company who need help securing their jobs and making improvements at

their workplace, let your union representative know. Call the ILWU and ask for the Organizing Department at

your Division Office:

Hawaii (808) 935-3727 • Maui County (808) 244-9191 • Kauai (808) 245-3374 • Oahu (808) 949-4161

VOICE ILWU

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“11 years! One raise! Fair Contract NOW!”

This chant sums up the injustice faced by the

Pacific Beach Hotel workers who won an

election to be represented by the ILWU over

two years ago and are still struggling to get

a fair contract with their employer—the HTH

Corporation. HTH also owns King

Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Resort on the Big

Island and the Pagoda Hotel in Honolulu.

The July 10, 2006, march and rally of Pacific Beach

workers and over 300 supporters was loud and

spirited. They chanted, sang, and made a lot of noise

as they marched up and down Lili‘uokalani Avenue in

Waikiki which runs along one side of the 837 room

hotel. About 150 of the supporters were participants

from local and mainland unions who were attending

the Summer Institute for Union Women (SIUW).

Pacific Beach Hotel workers fight for justice

I L W U T o u r i s m I n d u s t r y N e w s

Participants in the Summer Institute for Union Women’s “How to Mobilize for

an Action” class made signs and banners and developed chants for the

Pacific Beach rally. ILWU member Velda “Pua” Akamu from the Hapuna

Beach Prince Hotel (second from right) made the banner shown above.

Summer Institute for Union Women

held in Honolulu

HONOLULU—The 25th Annual

Western Regional Summer Institute

for Union Women (SIUW) was held

July 7-11, 2006 at the Ala Moana

Hotel. 153 union workers—including

ten from ILWU Local 142—came

together to learn important skills,

meet other union sisters and build

solidarity around important labor

issues.

Intensive core classes were offered

on Basic Leadership Skills, Advanced

Leadership Skills, Uniting for Action

on Big Issues, Organizing Contract

Campaigns, and Basic Grievance

Handling. Short workshops included

Talking to Management, How to

Organize a Union Action, Workplace

Discrimination, and much more.

The highlight of the Institute took

place on Monday, July 10 when

participants did two actions—a

demonstration at the Pacific Beach

Hotel in support of ILWU members,

and the delivery of a petition and

sign-holding at the Hilton Hawaiian

Village for UNITE HERE Local 5

hotel workers.

SIUW participants were joined by

leaders from other local unions such

as IBEW and the Teamsters at the

Pacific Beach rally, where chants of

“11 years, 1 raise, fair contract now!”

and “Hotel workers under attack—

what you gonna do? Stand up! Fight

back!” rang out in front of the hotel.

SIUW participants came from 23

different unions, including the

Musicians Union, the British Colum-

bia Government Employees Union,

Hawaii Government Employees

Association (HGEA), ILWU, Service

Employees International Union

(SEIU), Teamsters, United Auto

Workers (UAW), and United Public

Workers (UPW). ◆

SIUW participants gather in front of the ILWU to catch a bus to the rally in

Waikiki. ILWU members like Ruby Shimabukuro from Unit 4405 - Foodland

Super Market Ltd. (standing, third from right) came on their own time to help

support Pacific Beach workers.

The rally was held right in front of the hotel.

Virginia Recaido (above left) and Guillerma Ulep (above right) address SIUW

participants before the Pacific Beach rally. Many SIUW participants were

moved to tears as the two women explained that they want a fair contract to

better the lives of their fellow workers and their family members. They

received a standing ovation.

June/July 2006

VOICE ILWU

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The Bay Course, the first of three

golf courses, had opened earlier in

1975. The golf course and hotel were

surrounded by pineapple fields, and

at certain times of the year were

invaded by tiny white pineapple

(mealy) bugs. This was the beginning

of a master-planned resort commu-

nity that would be built by the

Kapalua Land Company, the devel-

opment arm of the Maui Land and

Pineapple Company which owned

the 23,000 acre Honulua Ranch and

pineapple fields.

The development followed a busi-

ness plan that was proving successful

in other areas of Hawaii. The idea was

to build a luxury resort with hotel and

golf course, which would attract

guests who could afford to buy the

high-priced homes that would be built

around the golf courses.

Today the Kapalua Resort covers

1,650-acre with three luxury-class

hotels (The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua,

Kapalua Bay Hotel, and The

Kapalua Villas), 5 condominiums

(The Coconut Grove on Kapalua Bay,

Bay Villas, Golf Villas, Ironwoods,

The Ridge), and four single family

community developments (Planta-

tion Estates, Pineapple Hill,

Pineapple Hill Estates, Kapalua

Place). There are three golf courses,

two tennis facilities, three white

sand beaches, restaurants and

shopping.

What are Condo hotels?

The 28-year old Kapalua Bay

Hotel will be torn down and replaced

by a new hotel with a mix of regular

hotel rooms, some rooms sold as

residential units, and some sold as

Kapalua Bay Hotel to turn condo

When the 200-room Kapalua Bay Hotel opened in

1978, it was a place local people called the “end of

the road”, because that was where the paved road

turned into a dirt road, which continued along the

shore of the leeward coast of West Maui. There were

no houses or developments beyond that point.

I L W U T o u r i s m I n d u s t r y N e w s

“fractional” owned units. These

developments are commonly known

as condominium hotels (Condotel)

where the people who buy the units

can use the rooms whenever they

want or have the hotel rent the

rooms as part of the hotel inventory.

The owners would receive half of the

rent and the hotel takes the other

half as its fees.

By selling rooms as condominium

units, hotel owners get cash up front,

instead of waiting years to recover

their capital costs. The hotel is able

to spread some of the risks and costs

to condo owners who are essentially

investors in the hotel. The fee

received by the hotel for renting the

rooms and the monthly maintenance

costs for each unit can also become

profit centers for the hotel.

Condo owners who rent their

rooms for most of the year benefit by

receiving some rental income and

higher tax deductions. They also

have greater flexibility in using their

units as they don’t have to deal with

a long-term tenant.

Conversion trend

The strong sales of condo hotel

units has created a small boom in

the real estate market in resort

areas like Hawaii, South Florida,

Las Vegas, and parts of California. A

number of Waikiki hotels, including

the Ala Moana and Ilikai Hotel, have

converted some or all of their rooms

to condo units. Nationwide, about

227 condo hotel projects are in the

development stage and will add more

than 93,000 rooms to the supply of

traditional hotel rooms.

The “fractional” owned units are

similar to condo units except a

number of buyers share ownership

and the maintenance costs of a single

unit. The Kapalua units will be sold

as part of the Ritz-Carlton Fractional

Club program where the buyer of a

fractional unit would own 1/12 share

and be entitled to stay in the unit for

21 or more days each year. The

Kapalua shares are being offered for

$300,000-$700,000 depending on the

size of the unit, which is much less

expensive then buying a vacation

home which would be vacant most of

the time.

The construction of the new hotel

is expected to take three years and

the 208 ILWU members who worked

for the Kapalua Bay Hotel were

permanently laid off in April. ◆

Dale Yamamoto, Lino Bermudez, Visese Sakaria, Minda DeGracia, Lauren

Higa.

Aree Teamglum, Helen Magno, Peter Rizzo.

(Right) Romana Balcita.

Nathalie Quedding, Bundit Teamglum, Crystal Kaauamo.

Mila Manglicmot, Narciso Buduan, Ricardo Gazmen, Alfredo Malapira, Alden Armantico,

Jun Sablay, Den Melchor.

Aloha

Kapalua Bay

Hotel

ILWU Members

VOICE ILWU

THE

page 6 June/July 2006

I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n v e n t i o n S p e a k e r s

By Richard Trumka,

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer

We have a chance this year to turn

our country around because voters

are discovering the truth about

George W. Bush and his way of life

and everything that they stand for.

They are learning that he is as

incompetent as his administration is

corrupt. You see, he failed to win

victory in Iraq or make a plan for

peace. He failed to track down

terrorists. He failed to save our

airlines, steel industries, and our

manufacturing sector. He failed to

create enough jobs. He failed to

control the budget deficit. He failed

to control the trade deficit. He failed

to deliver a prescription drug pro-

gram benefit that actually works. He

failed to bring gasoline and heating

oil prices under control. He failed to

bring down health care costs. He

failed to bring health care to 45

million American workers. And all

the while he failed, he aided and

abetted the attacks on our pensions,

on our health care, on our jobs, on

our wages, on our unions. He re-

wards and encourages the

outsourcing of our jobs and the

security of our country.

Labor and our allies can take back

control of our federal government by

asking voters of all political persua-

sions one simple question, “Have you

had enough?”

That is the question that I ask all

of you today and that you in turn

have to ask your members every day

between now and November. “Have

you had enough?” When you see

them at work, you ask them, “Have

you had enough?” When you see

them in church or on the streets in

town, “Have you had enough?” When

we see them at the store you ask

them, “Have you had enough?”

Have you had enough of a corpo-

By Danny Glover

Member, Screen Actors’ Guild

Those are the concrete ways in

which we all are capable of using

ourselves individually and collec-

tively in supporting action. As

someone once said, it’s not only

action, but vision, because action

without vision is chaos. Today more

than ever we need action with vision

in order to bring us clarity in what

we need to do as we move forward in

the 21 st Century.

A great labor leader who fought for

25 years to establish this union, a

sleeping pullman car worker, A.

Philip Randall, once said, “We have

no permanent enemies, we have no

permanent friends, but we have

permanent interests.”

The ILWU understands that it has

permanent interests, and that

interest is for working people to fight

for better benefits, to fight for better

working conditions, to fight for better

health care, to fight for a better

standard of living. That is’the role

that the ILWU has played.

I stand here because I stand on the

shoulders of men and women who

supported the ILWU along the way.

Paul Robeson supported the ILWU.

Harry Belafonte supported the

ILWU. My dear friends Ollie Davis

and Ruby Dee supported the ILWU,

supported the work of unions.

We need unions more than ever

now at this particular junction as we

move into another age, an age in

which energy costs go up, an age in

which people are beginning to turn

more and more back into the city as

a place in which they inhabit, live,

and raise their kids. They need a

safe city. They need a safe commu-

nity. They need jobs that pay living

wages, not the wages that hotel

workers receive in New Orleans. Not

rate policy box which is collapsing

the middle class and stealing the

future of workers? Have you had

enough? Have you had enough of

working harder and harder and

harder for less and less and less so

that corporations can make more

money and CEO’s can steal more

money? Have you have had enough?

Have you had enough of the corpo-

rate lobbyists like Jack Abramoff and

corporate criminals like Wilbur Ross

and Haliburton pulling the strings of

our elected officials and controlling

our government? Have you had

enough? Have you had enough of our

retirees and our widows losing their

pensions after years and years and

years of suffering and bleeding and

dying and losing their health care?

Have you had enough?

Have you had enough of children

going without health care and the

education that they deserve? Have

you had enough? Have you had

Have you had enough?

We need unions now more than ever

those wages, not $7 an hour, but

living wages, wages with which they

can raise a family and not have to

work two and three jobs, and ben-

efits which include health care for

their children.

Unions have played that role histori-

cally, and that role becomes more evident

and more important today. Unions have

played that role. Because when we talk

about raising the standard of living,

unions have always talked about pro-

grams that got you out of the poverty

program. Unions have always raised

the level of what we as workers are due

and what we receive. They have always

fought for that

and they must

fight for that

more than ever.

As we see an

increase in prof-

its within all

industries, the

service industry,

the manufactur-

ing industry,

unions playa

critical role at this

particular time.

We need to bring

more people to

the union. We

need to build the constituency. We need

to build the voice of union workers. And

by building the voice of union workers,

we build the voice of all workers.

This is going to take the proactive

legacy that you are steeped in. This

is going to take the proactive and

imaginative action from which you

were established. This is not a

complex vision. This is a vision

centered around justice. It is a vision

centered around a dream. It is a

vision centered around creating a

world which is equitable for all of us.

That is your vision. You can never

lose sight of that vision. You can

never lose sight of that mandate.

It is a mandate that struggles for

the rights of women. It is a mandate

that struggles for the rights of

minorities. It is a mandate that tells

us that w_ are in a very real sense

brothers and sisters and that we

each are our brother’s keeper.’ That

is the mandate that you service — a

mandate that embraces pragmatism,

a mandate that embraces’ past

struggles.

You are a manifestation of that.

Everything you have gotten, every

victory you have achieved has been a

struggle, a struggle you have em-

braced. Every

single loss that

you suffer,

every single

battle that you

lose is not a

loss to one

person, it is a

loss to all

workers. All

workers lose

when you lose.

And all workers

win when you

win.

In this new

21 st Century,

where oil prices are rising, service-

able public transportation has to be

our calling. Not just what we call for,

what we ask for and what we de-

mand. In this new place, we become

a little bit closer to each other. We

need to become closer to each other.

You are going to playa very impor-

tant role in fabricating that, not only

for you right here, this moment, but

for the future of your children and

grandchildren. It’s an enormous

calling. It’s an extraordinary mo-

ment. I know you will stand up to the

task and you will be there. You have

been there in the past and you will

be there in the future.

My parents worked for the post

office more than 30 years. More than

30 years. When they worked for the

post office for more than 30 years,

they had a good health care plan that

I was a beneficiary of. They had good

benefits which my father retired on.

They had a living wage in which they

could aspire to the middle class

dream, the American dream of

middle class.

We have to bring that back. It is our

responsibility to bring that back for

ourselves, for our children, and for

those generations to come.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist—it

really doesn’t—to figure this out. We

can talk about all kinds of statistics

and strategies around profit, about all

the theories around markets. But

there is something in that discussion

that cannot be reduced, that cannot be

ignored. What cannot be reduced is

those who don’t care about what

happens to human beings, what

happens to children, what happens to

those who work all their lives and who

then retire. We cannot be reduced to

forgetting about that. Nomatter what

the market strategies, whatever the

market theories, whatever the current

economic theories are, we cannot be

reduced to believing that all of this is

natural science. This is not natural

science. This is about what human

beings do and how human beings

transform themselves or not trans-

form themselves, how human beings

themselves act and decide what is

important. If life and the preservation

of life is important, then that is what

we have to elevate. Not the preserva-

tion of profits, not the preservation of

evil-spiritedness, not the preservation

of inhumanity. We have to hold on to

the preservation of people. And unions

do that. Unions talk about the people

and they do that. ◆

enough of immigrant workers and

American workers and Canadian

workers and union workers being

treated like second-class citizens?

Have you had enough?

Have you had enough? Well, then,

let’s get together—let’s stand to-

gether, let’s fight together, let’s vote

together! Let’s kick their asses

together because we have had

enough! ◆

The ILWU understands

that it has permanent

interests, and that

interest is for working

people to fight for better

benefits, to fight for

better working conditions,

to fight for better health

care, to fight for a better

standard of living.

June/July 2006

VOICE ILWU

THE

page 7

N e g o t i a t i o n s U p d a t e

The agreement provides an

annual 3.5 percent wage increase

for all production and clerical

workers and maintains existing

benefits such as medical, pension,

vacations, and holidays.

Improvements in sick benefits

include the use of up to 10 days of

paid sick leave per year to care

for a child and other family

members and long-term disability

benefits which replaces 50

percent of wages for long illnesses

or injuries.

The ILWU represents about 79

of the 280 Hawthorne Pacific

employees. The company is the

exclusive dealer for Caterpillar

equipment and also sells and

services other heavy equipment

such as Toro, Genie and Kubota.

This was the first complete

agreement negotiated with the

new owners, Hawthorne

Machinery of San Diego,

Hawthorne Pacific settles

California, who bought the

former Pacific Machinery

Company in May 2004. Pacific

Machinery was a 79-year old

Hawaii company that was part of

Theo H. Davies, one of the Big 5

companies which came out of the

wealth created by Hawaii’s sugar

industry. The other Big 5

companies were Castle and

Cooke, C. Brewer, Alexander and

Baldwin, and Amfac.

Hawthorne renamed the

company Hawthorne Pacific and

agreed to maintain the existing

collective bargaining agreements

with the ILWU. There were

actually four (five with Kona?)

separate contracts, one for each

island, and all of them had

different expiration dates.

The ILWU and Hawthorne

agreed to standardize the contracts

and negotiate for all islands at the

end of 2005. Contracts that expired

Hawthorne Pacific members approved a new

collective bargaining agreement in May and June

2006. The statewide agreement run two years and

covers most of the production and clerical workers in

units on Maui, Kauai, Hilo, Kona and Oahu.

earlier were extended and the

company agreed to increase wages

by 3.5 percent for production

workers and 1.5 percent for Oahu

clerical workers.

The union and company

reached a settlement and

members ratified the new

agreement in meetings held in

May 2006 for Oahu, Kauai and

Maui and in June 2006 for Hilo

and Kona.

Hawaii Division Director

Richard Baker, Jr. served as the

union spokesperson. Maui

business agent Delbert DeRego

was the co-chair. Maui member

Rikizo Tengan, Jr. served as the

union committee chair and Big

Island member Marlene Nakaishi

was the secretary. Kauai member

Eric Carvalho and Oahu member

Steve Allen also served on the

union committee. ◆

Grand Wailea concierge win increase in commission

As of April 2006, about 25 concierge workers at the

Grand Wailea Resort & Spa on Maui became part of

the bargaining unit and will be covered under the

union contract. In addition, the concierge workers

will receive an increase in commission from 1.0

percent to 1.75 percent on tours, cruises, luaus and

other commissionable activities they sell to guests.

Many luxury hotels have a con-

cierge desk where guests can get

assistance with their travel needs.

The concierge staff can get a baby

sitter, make reservations at restau-

rants, book shows and events, or give

suggestions on things to see and do.

Guests at the Grand Wailea Resort

can also go to their concierge desk to

buy dinner cruises, tours to

Haleakala Crater, bike rides, whale

watching, helicopter rides and so on.

Grand Wailea Resort concierge

workers will now earn a 1.75 percent

commission on these sales, which

can add several hundred dollars a

month to their income.

A hotel may have many other

incentive programs which are not

spelled out in the union contract. For

example, Grand Wailea Resort front

desk workers receive a 5 percent

commission when they sell a guest a

more expensive room which is not in

the contract.

The hotel has the same legal

obligation to bargain with the union

over any changes in these agreements,

but if they are not in the contract, the

union must make a timely request

that the hotel bargain over the issue.

Changes are often made without the

union’s knowledge; there is no request

for bargaining; and the union may

find out months later when it is too

late to do anything.

There are many reasons why union

members should work to include these

kinds of incentive arrangement in the

union contract. Everyone will know

the terms of the incentives, and

management will be required to

bargain with the union before making

any changes. Members should keep

their union officers informed of all

incentive programs and any changes

in these incentives. ◆

The VOICE of the ILWU welcomes

letters, photographs and

other submissions from members.

Write to: Editor, VOICE of the ILWU,

451 Atkinson Drive. Honolulu, HI 96814

Or e-mail: [email protected]

VOICE ILWU

THE

page 8 June/July 2006

ILWU Rewards Program

I L W U P o l i t i c a l A c t i o n

Can you spare a few hours this week?

The September 23 Primary Election is only a few weeks away and

we need to elect candidates who will work in the best interest of

working families.

There’s a lot to do and we need your help.

Would you be willing to pass out voter reminder cards to members

in your unit? Hold signs before or after work? Come to the union

hall to stuff envelopes? Make phone calls to members? Spend a

few hours on the weekend walking house to house? Help drive

people to the polls or remind them to vote on election day?

Help support your union’s Political Action Program.

If you can volunteer some time, please call your Business Agent,

the Division Office, or talk to your unit officers. Or you can make a

donation to the ILWU Political Action Fund.

Get rewards

Participate in the Union Rewards.

All ILWU active members, pensioners and their families who

participate in political action activities receive entry forms for prize

drawings that will take place after the November General Election.

Call your Division PAC Coordinators at the number(s) below for

details on how you help out with political action and have a chance

to receive rewards, too.

Your vote counts and your help can make the

difference in the upcoming election.

Don’t forget to vote—either by absentee ballot or at the polls on

Saturday, September 23, 2006. If you would like a voter registration

form, absentee ballot application or need help getting to the polls,

call your union office today!

Hawaii ILWU—935-3727 Maui ILWU—244-9191

Kauai ILWU—245-3374 Oahu ILWU—949-4161

Help with political action

U.S. SENATE ................... Daniel K. Akaka

U.S. HOUSE DIST. 1 ...... Neil Abercrombie

GOVERNOR ........................... Randy Iwase

Lt. GOVERNOR ............. Malama Solomon

STATE SENATE DISTRICT

9 Palolo-Kaimuki-Kapahulu .......... Les Ihara

10 Manoa-Moiliili-Makiki .... Brian Taniguchi

11 Punchbowl-Ala Moana-McCully ..... Carol

Fukunaga

13 Kalihi-Liliha-Nuuanu ........ Suzanne Chun

Oakland

14 Moanalua-Aiea-Halawa ValleyDonna Kim

19 Makakilo-Kapolei-Waikele . Janice Lehner

20 Waipahu-Ewa-Ewa Beach William Espero

24 Kaneohe-Kailua-Enchanted Lake ........ Jill

Tokuda

HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL

District II ......................... Donovan Dela Cruz

District VI ................................... Rodney Tam

Oahu Division • ILWU Endorsements

Primary Election • Saturday, September 23, 2006

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT

17 Kalama V.-Hawaii Kai .. Avelino Halagao

18 Kahala-Aina Haina .................. Lyla Berg

19 Kaimuki-Waialae ................ Michael Abe

20 St. Louis Hts.-Palolo ............. Calvin Say

21 Kapahulu-Diamond Hd . Scott Y. Nishimoto

22 McCully-Pawaa ..................... Scott Saiki

24 Manoa ............................... Kirk Caldwell

25 Tantalus-Makiki .................. Della Belatti

26 Punchbowl-Nuuanu ............. Sylvia Luke

27 Liliha-Puunui ............... Sesnita Moepono

28 Iwilei-Downtown .................Karl Rhoads

29 Kalihi-Sand Island ............... Jun Abinsay

30 Alewa-Moanalua .............. Terry Visperas

31 Salt Lake-Tripler ................. Glenn Wakai

33 Aiea-Halawa ...................... Blake Oshiro

34 Newtown-Pearl City ........ K. Mark Takai

36 Pearl City-Palisades ............. Roy Takumi

37 Mililani-Waipio ................. Ryan Yamane

38 Mililani-Mililani Mauka ...... Marilyn Lee

39 Wahiawa .......................... Marcus Oshiro

40 Makakilo-Kapolei ................. Sharon Har

43 Ewa Beach-Iroquois Pt. . R. Scott Belford

44 Honokai Hale-Nanakuli ... Michael Kahikina

45 Waianae-Makaha ..... Maile Shimabukuro

46 Kahuku-N. Shore ........ Michael Magaoay

48 Kaneohe ....................................... Ken Ito

49 Maunawili-Enchanted Lake. Pono Chong

51 Lanikai-Waimanalo ........ Tommy Waters

OD PAC 7/27/06 eo

Issued by ILWU Hawaii Political Action Committee, 451 Atkinson Dr., without the consent of any candidate.

OPEN ENDORSEMENT:

U.S. House District 2-Rural Oahu and Neighbor

Islands; Senate District 15; House Districts 23,

32, 35, 41, 42, & 47; Council District VIII;

Board of Education; Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

An “OPEN” endorsement means that the union

had no recommendation for any candidate and

members may vote as they choose.

Issued by ILWU Hawaii Political Action Committee,

451 Atkinson Dr., without the consent of any

candidate.

U.S. SENATE ........................... Daniel K. Akaka

GOVERNOR ................................... Randy Iwase

Lt. GOVERNOR ..................... Malama Solomon

MAYOR ................................ James Kimo Apana

STATE SENATE

4 Wailuku-Waihee-Kahului-Paia ... Shan Tsutsui

STATE HOUSE

8 Wailuku-Waiehu-Kahului ................ Joe Souki

9 Kahului-Paia ............................. Bob Nakasone

10 W. Maui ...................................... Kam Tanaka

11 S. Maui ...................................... Stephen West

12 Upcountry .............................. Kyle Yamashita

13 E. Maui-Lanai-Molokai .... Diane Mele Carroll

MAUI COUNCIL

Wailuku ................ Michael Victorino

Kahului ................ Joseph Pontanilla

Makawao-Haiku-Paia .. Mike Molina

Upcountry .................... Gladys Baisa

Lanai ........................... Riki Hokama

Molokai ....................... Danny Mateo

Hana ............................ Bill Medeiros

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Maui .......................... Mary Cochran

Maui Division • ILWU Endorsements

Primary Election • Saturday, September 23, 2006

rev MD PAC 7/27/06 eo

OPEN ENDORSEMENT:

U.S. House District 2-Rural Oahu and Neighbor Islands; Office of Hawaiian Affairs. An

“OPEN” endorsement means that the union had no recommendation for any candidate and

members may vote as they choose.

U.S. SENATE ........................... Daniel K. Akaka

GOVERNOR ................................... Randy Iwase

Lt. GOVERNOR ..................... Malama Solomon

STATE HOUSE

14 Kapaa-Hanalei ....................... Hermina Morita

KAUAI COUNCIL

Pending endorsement

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Maui .......................... Mary Cochran

Kauai Division • ILWU Endorsements

Primary Election • Saturday, September 23, 2006

KD PAC 7/27/06 eo

OPEN ENDORSEMENT:

U.S. House District 2-Rural Oahu and Neighbor Islands. An “OPEN” endorsement means that the

union had no recommendation for any candidate and members may vote as they choose.

Issued by ILWU Hawaii Political Action Committee, 451 Atkinson Dr., without the consent of any candidate.

Hawaii Division • ILWU Endorsements

Primary Election • Saturday, September 23, 2006

U.S. SENATE ........................... Daniel K. Akaka

GOVERNOR ................................... Randy Iwase

Lt. GOVERNOR ..................... Malama Solomon

STATE SENATE

2 Waiakea Uka-Volcano ........ Russell Kokubun

STATE HOUSE

1 N. Hilo-Hamakua-N. Kohala ... Dwight Takamine

2 Hilo .............................................. Jerry Chang

3 Hilo, Keaau, Mt. View ................ Clifton Tsuji

4 Puna-Pahoa-Hawn Acres .. Faye Pua Hanohano

5 S. Kona, Ka‘u ........................... Robert Herkes

6 Kailua, Keauhou ........................ Joshua Green

7 North Kona, South Kohala .......... Cindy Evans

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Maui ....................... Mary Cochran

HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL

District I ................. Fred Holschuh

District II ................. Donald Ikeda

District III .............. Paula Helfrich

District IV ..................... Stacy Higa

District V .................. Gary Safarik

District VI ........... Robert Jacobson

District VIII ............... Angel Pilago

District IX .............. Peter Hoffman

Issued by ILWU Hawaii Political Action

Committee, 451 Atkinson Dr., without the

consent of any candidate.

HD PAC 7/27/06 eo

OPEN ENDORSEMENT:

U.S. House District 2-Rural Oahu and Neighbor Islands; Council Dist. VII; Office of

Hawaiian Affairs. An “OPEN” endorsement means that the union had no recommendation

for any candidate and members may vote as they choose.

Maui Division pensioners with endorsed candidate Senator Shan Tsutsui.