Unit 4526 - Pacific Beach Hotel member Kohry Mulkey spoke on the resolution celebrating Pacific Beach Hotel workers’ contract victory after a ten-year struggle. Mulkey talked about his personal experiences during the organizing and contract fight, and thanked convention delegates for their support. Three Pacific Beach Hotel workers attended the convention—their first as ILWU members.
R-1 Partnership To Promote ILWU History – salutes the successful partnership between the ILWU and the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco for securing a plaque and exhibit about the 1934 Longshore & Maritime Strike within their building for public viewing. Also encourages forging other ILWU partnerships with community and campus organizations and businesses to promote and commemorate other events of significance in ILWU’s history.
R-2 Affirming Solidarity and Support for Local 20’s Contract Negotiations with Rio Tinto – Rio Tinto is one of the largest mining companies in the world and has a history of aggressive anti-union tactics. Local 20’s contract with Rio Tinto expires on June 17, 2017. This resolution urges support from the International and other Locals to support Local 20 in preparing for the upcoming negotiations.
R-3 Support the Panama Canal Pilots – The Panama Canal Authority is implementing new navigation rules which would strip the Panama Canal Pilots’ Union’s rights to collectively bargain which is protected under Panamanian labor law. This resolution urges continued support from the ILWU in their effort to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the Panama Canal Authority.
R-5 Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015 – This Act was introduced in Congress to amend the Social Security Act to make the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) program permanent and increase payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program. This resolution encourages all members, affiliates, pension clubs and auxiliaries to contact our congressional delegation to support this legislation.
R-6 Support for Local 30 – RTM Borax (U.S. Borax) has created a hostile workplace environment through intimidation and the silencing of any worker or union representative. This resolution urges the International to continue to support Local 30 by providing an International Representative, legal and research assistance in their 2016 negotiations.
R-7 Supporting Local 200, Unit 2201 Bartlett Regional Hospital – A recently negotiated collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that is in effect is contingent on the reauthorization of the Rural Demonstration Project (RDP) and the Medicare Dependent Hospital program. In the event the RDP is not renewed, the CBA will be opened for renegotiation. This resolution urges the ILWU to support Local 200, Unit 2201 should the CBA be reopened.
R-7 Supporting Local 200, Unit 2201 Bartlett Regional Hospital – A recently negotiated collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that is in effect is contingent on the reauthorization of the Rural Demonstration Project (RDP) and the Medicare Dependent Hospital program. In the event the RDP is not renewed, the CBA will be opened for renegotiation. This resolution urges the ILWU to support Local 200, Unit 2201 should the CBA be reopened.
R-8 Boycott Sakuma Brothers Farms, Haagen-Daz, and Driscoll’s Berries – Sakuma Brothers Farms has failed to provide a safe workplace for its workers, continues to treat newly hired H2A visa workers differently in hopes of displacing the existing migrant workers, and continues to prolong reaching a contract agreement. This resolution affirms the support of the ILWU and urges other labor organizations, legislators and congressional delegations to boycott Sakuma Brothers Farms, Haagen-Dazs, and Driscoll’s Berries until the demands of Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (Families United For Justice) are met.
R-10 Support the U.S. Sugar Program – The U.S. Sugar Program protects the domestic sugar industry from unfair foreign competition at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has allowed Mexico to increase the amount of sugar that it exports to the U.S. market and now is a major exporter. HC&S has committed to continue to keep 36,000 acres in active and productive sugarcane cultivation which will provide the jobs for our brothers and sisters. This resolution calls upon all Locals to urge their congressional delegations to support the U.S. Sugar Program by increasing price supports and amending NAFTA to limit sugar imports to prevent unfair dumping by Mexico.
R-12 Support Hawaii’s ILWU Pineapple Workers – Hawaii was once the pineapple capital of the world with eight pineapple companies employing more than 3,000 workers; all organized into the ILWU. Pineapple production has declined over the years due to unfair foreign competition causing U.S. producers to move canned production overseas. Fresh pineapple can be produced at a profit with sales to Japan, the U.S. West Coast and locally. This resolution urges support for our brothers and sister in the pineapple industry by urging all members, families and friends to buy fresh pineapple under the Maui Gold and Dole Foods “yellow colored” labels at the supermarket and fresh food stores.
R-14 Support ILWU Hotel Workers – ILWU Local 142 represents over 10,000 hotel workers at 29 resorts and condominiums. There are 3 properties on Kauai, 2 on Oahu, 6 on the Big Island, 2 on Lanai and 16 on Maui. This resolution salutes the unit officers and the rankand-file members of these hotels and condominiums and urges ILWU members, family and friends, when visiting Hawaii, to stay at ILWU unionized properties which can be found in the Local 142 Hotel Guide online.
R-15 Support of the Jones Act – The Jones Act—also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1929—is the foundation upon which the modern American merchant and marine industry is built and the intention of the U.S. Congress when they enacted the Jones Act was to insure a strong U.S. maritime industry. 85-90 percent of all commercial cargo is shipped to Hawaii and the state depends on the stability and reliability of the shipping vessels under the Jones Act. This resolution urges ILWU, its Locals and members to continue to strongly support the Jones Act and oppose any anti-Jones Act legislation that may be proposed.
R-16 Celebrating Pacific Beach Workers – Nearly 400 workers at Pacific Beach Hotel won a union contract in January 2013, after a more than 10-year long struggle. With the support from the community, other ILWU Locals, affiliates, auxiliaries and pensioners, Unions nationwide and in Canada, the Philippines, and Japan, the workers at the Hotel persevered to achieve what our ILWU Japanese brothers and sisters have called “our most complete victory.” This resolution recognizes and celebrates this victory and wishes our brothers and sisters at the Pacific Beach Hotel success in building their unit into a strong and active part of the union for many years to come.
R-17 Support of Agriculture Workers – While sugar and pineapple continues to employ the largest number of ILWU members in agriculture, there are other agricultural companies that employ our brothers and sisters in Hawaii. The companies are: Mauna Loa Macadamia Corporation which was recently purchased by Hawaiian Host, Royal Hawaiian Orchards, L.P., Kauai Coffee Company, Eggs Hawaii, Floral Resources-Hawaii and Calavo Growers, Inc. This resolution strongly supports our brothers and sisters in the agriculture and related industries by urging members and their families to purchase ILWU union grown products.
R-19 Support of Strengthening Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid – This resolution urges the President and the U.S. Congress to exclude Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from being part of any legislation to reduce the federal deficit. It also states that the ILWU strongly opposes cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and calls on our congressional delegation to oppose any cuts that may be proposed.
R-20 Recognizing Joe Hill – Joe Hill was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) who became a popular song writer and cartoonist for the union. The IWW played an important part of the history and foundation of the ILWU. This resolution supports the dedication of a monument in San Pedro, CA on November 17, 2015 honoring Joe Hill’s death a hundred years ago.
R-21 Honoring the Work of Brother Leroy King – Leroy King was a longtime ILWU leader in the Northern California area and a civil rights advocate. His voice and presence always expressed unity and optimism of the ILWU. This resolution honors Brother Leroy King and was adopted a day before his death on June 12, 2015.
R-22 In Support of 2017 Northern California Warehouse Negotiations –
R-9 Support of HC&S and its Workers – The first commercial sugar plantation was founded in 1832. By 1980, there were fourteen plantations and 550 independent growers and they produced over a million tons of raw sugar. Today, only one sugar plantation remains, the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) on Maui. In March 2015, they began their 143rd harvest. The company continues to face challenges such as cane burning complaints, water allocation and unfair competition from foreign imports of cheap sugar. This resolution strongly supports continued sugarcane production and the good union jobs that HC&S provides for our brothers and sisters on Maui.