The five-year agreement covers 52 members who now belong to ILWU Local 142, Oahu Division. The contract calls for a 4.5 percent wage increase upon ratification and a wage increase of 1.5 percent-1.75 percent each year thereafter, for a total pay raise of 10.5 percent-11.5 percent over the life of the contract.

The new agreement provides an invaluable benefit—job security. It will protect the workers against arbitrary discipline or firing by establishing just cause for any disciplinary action the company may initiate.

The new contract also establishes a seniority system for job bidding, placement and promotions. This is significant, as it addresses concerns about how jobs are assigned—an issue raised by many of the workers. Workers have been particularly upset when newer hires with less experience were chosen over more seasoned employees.

Other gains include strong contract language addressing discrimination, temporary transfer, and jury duty. A guaranteed minimum of four (4) hours of straight-time pay on a call out, additional funeral leave when traveling out of state, and a birthday holiday are also provided. In addition, a labor-management committee will convene to discuss operational and contractual issues.

In order to combat rising healthcare costs, Anheuser-Busch Sales of Hawaii, Inc. had decided to increase their workers’ share of the cost of medical and dental insurance premiums. For non-bargaining unit employees—who are not ILWU members—this meant an immediate increase in their insurance co-payments from 12 percent to 21.5 percent.

However, since healthcare plans are “mandatory subjects of bargaining”— or topics that must be negotiated—the company couldn’t raise the co-share on ILWU members’ insurance premiums without talking with the union first. Negotiations resulted in maintenance of the current insurance premium co-share at 12 percent for the first year of the contract. Then the cost “gradually increases over the course of five years, instead of going up all at once,” said union chief spokesperson and Oahu Division Director Michael Yamaguchi.

“Overall, we are pleased that we were able to address all the major concerns that led the Anheuser-Busch workers to designate the ILWU as their collective bargaining representative,” Yamaguchi added. “This first contract is a significant achievement, and I thank the AnheuserBusch membership for participating in the ratification vote.”

Members of the negotiating committee are: Fabian Palipti, Emmanuel “Butch” Kapahu, Robert “Bobby” HewLen, Joseph Sakaria, Oahu Business Agent Wilfred Chang Jr., and Michael Yamaguchi.

(from left) Oahu Division Business Agent Paris Fernandez and Division Representative Jose Miramontes Jr., joined the Anheuser-Busch Sales of Hawaii, Inc. union negotiating committee and assisted during the ratification meeting on April 29. The negotiating committee included: Spokesperson/ Oahu Division Director Michael Yamaguchi, Fabian Palipti, Joseph Sakaria, Emmanuel “Butch” Kapahu, Robert “Bobby” Hew-Len, and Business Agent Wilfred Chang Jr.

Why did you join the ILWU? Butch Kapahu (left) has been employed at Anheuser-Busch Sales of Hawaii, Inc. for over 35 years. He has seen countless managers come and go. “With the constant turnover, there was no continuity. I joined the ILWU for job security and respect. I know that I was working as an “at-will” employee and could be let go anytime without being given a reason. With the ILWU, we now have a grievance procedure in place and the company has to give a reason for discipline or discharge.”

Union spokesperson Brian Tanaka, second from left, and Business Agent Wilfred Chang, far right, were able to get the representatives from all the specialties in the diagnostic imaging department of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals to work collectively to reach a new contract with substantial wage increases, market adjustments and benefit changes that included moving to a new medical plan.

ILWU members approve new three-year contract at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals

ILWU unionized workers at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii voted overwhelmingly to ratify the tentative contract agreement reached on April 4, 2016.

In statewide ratification meetings which began on April 18 and concluded on April 21, members approved the new three-year contract that will expire on March 31, 2019.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii operates 25 medical offices and clinics throughout Hawaii under Kaiser Foundation Hospitals.

The new contract will continue to provide 95 good-paying jobs in the diagnostic imaging department in facilities throughout the state. It increases wages substantially, provides for market increases, enhances professional development leave, and brings changes in benefits. The changes include moving to a new medical plan and new retiree medical benefits.

The negotiating committee involved 24 members representing all modalities or specialties, (i.e. radiology, mammography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and MRI) working as a team. “Working with a large committee of this size involved a lot of time and effort,” said union chief spokesperson Brian Tanaka. “I want to thank the committee for coming together as one.”

“Bargaining was long and difficult, but our negotiating committee believes that we were able to achieve the best deal that we could for our members,” said Unit Chairperson Steven Hosaka.

Members of the negotiating committee are as follows: Alana Gusukuma, Donna Stevens, Bert Nunes, Jan Onaga, Brenda Garrett, David Almazan, Martissa Apacible, Fatima Mejia, Reid Matsuo, Anthony Tai, Anita Mercado, Gary Caranto, Mandy Kwong, Jennifer Correa, Ashlyn Oshiro, Scott Jitchaku, Mary Ann Bunao, Angelia Andrade, Grace De Mesa, Cathy Echalas, Wilfred Cabatu, Debbie Higashiya, Steven Kim, Steven Hosaka, Business Agent Wilfred Chang, and Spokesperson/Business Agent Brian Tanaka.