Hawaii Longshore Division hosts get-together for members and families

HONOLULU—The ILWU Local 142 Hawaii Longshore Division (HLD) held a Labor Day event at the Keehi Lagoon DAV Hall on Monday, September 9, 2016. The HLD has been rotating its Labor Day activity to different geographical Divisions in order to give all of its members a chance to enjoy a get-together celebrating longshore industry workers, their families, and the pensioners who helped to improve longshore contracts and make waterfront ILWU units strong.

This year’s event on Oahu attracted over 300 participants. A Dole pineapple decorated every table (Dole Food Co. is also an ILWU house), where members and family ate Hawaiian food, drank, and enjoyed entertainment by H-3, Mana‘o Company, and Germaine’s Luau.

Division and Unit officers, including Division Director William “Baba” Haole IV, Vice Division Director Richard Kamoe, and Division Secretary-Treasurer Drake Delaforce started preparing for the day at 7:00 a.m. The celebration began at 11:00 a.m. and ended at 5:00 p.m.

Two generations of the Antonio family work at Unit 4201 - McCabe, Hamilton, & Renny Co. Ltd.—father Darius (standing, left) and son Bryant (standing, right). Family members are (from left to right) Jaydah, Kini, Vernell, Darius, Janiyah, Bryant, Nikita, and Atikin Antonio.

Division Executive Board members from Maui Sam Kaaihue (Unit 2201 - Kahului Stevedores) and Dennis Nobriga (Unit 2201 - Kahului Trucking and Storage, Inc.) cooked hundreds of hamburgers for the crowd.

Unit 4201 - Matson Terminals Inc. ILWU member Mike Beazley (right) enjoying Labor Day with his family. (Left to right) Thia Palakiko, Mike’s wife Sista Palakiko-Beazley, Kawika Palakiko, and Mike. Seated on Thia and Sista’s laps: twins Tiane and Taimane

Karlen Ross (second from right) is an ILWU-endorsed candidate taking on House District 17 Republican incumbent Gene Ward in the upcoming general election. “I stand with working families,” Karlen said when he spoke to longshore workers on Labor Day. “Working families are what makes this state great.” Karlen’s father is longshoreman Jeff Ross (second from left). ILWU members who live in Hawaii Kai or Kalama Valley are urged to vote for Karlen on November 8, 2016. Ross family members are (left to right) Janice, Jeff, Kaia, Karlen, and Corinne Carson.

Hawaii Longshore Division Business Agent Tyrone Tahara with retiree Joe Pacyao Sr., who waves as active members applaud his contributions to the union. Pacyao is one of the few living ILWU pensioners who participated in the historic 1949 Hawaii longshore strike that won island dockworkers parity with the West Coast.

Oahu Division joins other unions for labor unity picnic

HONOLULU—Over 250 ILWU members joined a crowd of around 3,000 at the Hawaii Labor Unity Picnic at the Waikiki Shell on Saturday, September 17, 2016. The picnic was originally scheduled to be held on the Labor Day weekend, but was postponed due to tropical storms Madeline and Lester.

Union families turned out despite cloudy weather and the occasional drizzle for a children’s fort and bouncers, games, food, and entertainment by Willie K, Sean Na‘auao, Kekoa Kane and Maunalua—all free.

The event was sponsored by the Hawaii State AFL-CIO and Hawaii labor unions—including the ILWU—and has been held every year since 2008. It is meant to bring unionized workers together to meet, learn about political and labor issues, and support each other while enjoying a day with friends and family.

The unity picnic also encourages community service, and all union members were urged to bring a canned food donation. This year’s food drive was for the Hawaii State AFL-CIO Community Services food pantry. “We were very fortunate to receive twentytwo boxes of food as well as cash donations,” said Cathy Lederer, who serves as Director of the AFL-CIO Labor’s Community Services Program.

Oahu Division Business Agents Dillon Hullinger (left) and Paris Fernandez (right) run the horseshoe and beanbag toss games, passing out fruit snack prizes to keiki from the union families who attended the Labor Unity Picnic on September 17, 2016. The ILWU was just one of over a dozen unions and organizations participating in the unity picnic.

Kekoa Smith (right) is a recent ILWU member who just celebrated his one-year anniversary at Unit 4201 - McCabe, Hamilton, & Renny Co. Ltd. He and his family joined ILWU Oahu Division members at the unity picnic at the Waikiki Shell, looking forward to children’s activities and live music performances by well-known local musicians. (Left to right, front) Niece Olivia and daughter Kaya. (Left to right, back) Jacee, daughter Kylie-Ann, and Kekoa.

Elva Lozano has been an ILWU member with Unit 4420 - Sodexo (SDS Services West) for five years while working at Straub Clinic and Hospital. She and several family members picked up their Hawaiian food/bento tickets and prize drawing slips at the ILWU tent. (Left to right) Dior Andrade, Elva’s son Sam, grandson Kaui, and Elva.

U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell “talk story” with Oahu Division members from the Pacific Beach Hotel. Caldwell asked how workers have been doing since renovations started at the hotel in late spring. “I know your Division Director Mike Yamaguchi is keeping close tabs on that and working really hard to make sure you are protected,” he told them.