Building stronger unions through education

HONOLULU—The 30th Annual Western Regional Summer Institute for Union Women (SIUW) was held June 16-20, 2011 at the Ala Moana Hotel, whose workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 5. Over 80 union activists from more than 20 Locals in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska participated in the Institute.

The Western Regional SIUW is held yearly and its location is rotated between participating states. The institute is coordinated through the area’s labor education center, and this year’s was headed by the University of Hawaii’s Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR) faculty member Adrienne Valdez. In addition to serving on the CLEAR staff, Valdez is also the President of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA), the union that represents UH faculty members.

“I think it’s important to offer a place for union women to come together, compare notes, learn new things, and bond with other union members from different locations, unions, and work situations,” said Valdez. “The summer institute does that, and provides an environment where participants are immersed in the educational experience. It allows union activists to take time out to really focus on learning.”

The SIUW offered participants a choice of core classes on Leadership for New Leaders, Grievance Handling, Organizing and Mobilizing, or Defending Unions and Government. The core classes were intensive, and held every day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Two afternoon workshops were also offered, and topics included: Talking to Management, Discrimination Law, Dealing with Difficult People, Organizing Actions, Using Labor Law, Union Newsletters, and Building Community Coalitions.

SIUW action provide great learning experience 
Every SIUW takes time out from classes to hold a “street action” on behalf of workers in the community. This year, participants spent Friday afternoon rallying and standing in unity with two groups of local workers—ILWU members at the Pacific Beach Hotel, and UNITE HERE Local 5 members at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.

In preparation for the Pacific Beach rally, SIUW participants signed a four-foot tall letter to the hotel’s owner and management asking them to respect the National Labor Relations Board ruling issued on June 14, stop violating federal labor law, and move forward with the workers and their union to build a better Pacific Beach Hotel.

Halfway through the rally, a delegation made up of two volunteers from each core class and two instructors—Helen Moss from the University of Oregon Labor Education and Research Center and Amal Rana of the Public Service Alliance of Canada—entered the hotel lobby to deliver the letter to HTH Corp. Regional Vice President Robert Minicola. Hotel staff told the delegation that Minicola was off property, but delegation representative Reidun Inman of AFSCME/WFSE Tacoma was able to speak with him over the phone. Although Minicola was rude to Reidun at times, she was able to speak with him for several minutes and explained that union members from Hawaii and other states supported the workers of Pacific Beach.

After the one-hour Pacific Beach Hotel rally, SIUW participants walked a block ewa to the Hyatt Regency Waikiki to join the UNITE HERE Local 5 rally announcing a boycott of the hotel.

SIUW participants, Local 5 members, and community supporters chanted and sang for 20 minutes in the Hyatt’s second floor lobby until the police requested that they leave and continue the rally outside.

Several SIUW participants who had never participated in an action before said that while they were a little nervous at first, they were glad to be given a chance to stand up for fellow union workers in such a public way.

“I think that having institutes like this is very important. There are a lot of changes happening every day, and a lot of things union workers need to learn,” said ILWU member Helene “Lei” Kaiahua-Sado. “Especially for new people, who are beginning to get involved in the union, a proper education program is very important. This institute was awesome, and I learned a lot of things that I can take back to my unit and share with coworkers.”

“This institute was half the size of the last one held in Hawaii in 2006,” noted organizer Valdez. “But this year, the instructors and I felt proud of the participants and satisfied that we sent home a group of women who were both energized and ready to take on the difficult issues facing workers in today’s workplaces.”

ILWU members who attended the SIWU participated with enthusiasm and worked hard to learn how be better leaders, handle grievances competently, organize,andbuildsolidaritywithintheunion.(Frontrow)SusanLake(Foodland Super Market Ltd.), Elizabeth Visitacion (Honolulu Airport Hotel), Angela Talic (ILWU Canada, Local 500), Kammy Kalili (McCabe, Hamilton & Renny Co.). (Middle row) Maria Murillo (Servco Pacific Inc.), Merlina Valdez (Grand Wailea Resort), Zenaida Andaya (HC&S), Theresa Cabulizan (Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows), Perlita Manlansing (Grand Wailea Resort), Candace Ariaga (Four Seasons Resort Lanai). (Back row) Ann Kaopua (Horizon Lines, LLC HSI), Angela Raphael (The Ritz Carlton Kapalua), Mia Pauletto (The St. Regis Princeville) Michaela “Kai” Lee (McCabe, Hamilton & Renny Co.), Helene “Lei” Kaiahua-Sado (Grand Wailea Resort). Not pictured: Kaiini Febo-Santiago (Big Island FCU), Esther Manibog (HC&S), Linda Fernandez (Four Seasons Resort Lanai), Bonnie Chun (Horizon Lines, LLC HSI).

ILWU members Esther Manibog, Bonnie Chun, and Mia Pauletto discuss the quote “Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say ‘she doesn’t have what it takes.’ They will say, ‘women don’t have what it takes.’ ” They felt that the sentiment in the quote was something to which they could relate.

Abregano fills LEB position

Mary Ann Abregano, acting Chairperson and editor from Unit 4405 - Oahu Foodland Supermarket Ltd., was appointed by the Titled Officers and confirmed by the Oahu Division Executive Board to fill the seat on the Local Executive Board (LEB) vacated by Dillon Hullinger.

The Local Executive Board is the second highest policy making body of the ILWU and meets every three months. The Local Convention is the highest policy making body of ILWU Local 142.

Hullinger resigned from the LEB to comply with Section 7.02.3 of the Local 142 Constitution, which does not permit a full-time officer of the union to continue to hold a position on the LEB as an Industrial Grouping Board member, a Division Trustee, or Division Board member. 

Hullinger, who is also a Foodland member and unit officer, was elected as the Oahu Division Representative to the LEB in 2009.

In early 2011, Dillion was appointed to serve out the remaining term of Oahu Business Agent Larry Ruiz. The term of office runs until January 1, 2013.