ILWU International Vice President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado passed away on March 15, 2020 at the age of 64. Wes rose from humble beginnings as a secondgeneration longshore in a working class family who became a widely respected leader within the ILWU and the labor movement for his fierce commitment to unions, devotion to social justice and considerable organizing and negotiating skills.

President, I remember having a meeting with the Titled Officers to go over roles and responsibilities. Wes was by far the best organizer I have ever seen. For me to tell him how to do his job would be crazy. He knew everything better than anyone out there.” Big Bob concluded, “With Wes’ passing, the ILWU lost a great labor leader. And for me, I lost a great friend.”

Hawaii has moved to an all-mail voting system. With this change, the traditional voting locations at schools and community centers will no longer exist. If you are a registered voter, you will automatically receive a ballot in the mail starting July 21. When mailing back your completed ballot, please keep in mind that ballots must be received by 7 pm on August 8, so do not wait until the last minute to mail them.