The Northern California Warehouse Master Contract is set to expire in 2017. This resolution affirms continued support from the ILWU International in the upcoming negotiations in 2017 and advocates for legislation and regulations that provides secure retirement security.
R-23 Honoring the Life and Service of Don Watson – Don Watson served on the Northern California District Council for over 40 years and served as the ILWU’s lobbyist in Sacramento. Brother Watson served the labor movement for many years as an active member of the Southwest Labor and History Association, was a cofounder of the Bay Area Labor History Workshop, and secretary of the Copra Crane Labor Landmark Association. Brother Watson passed away on March 25, 2015. This resolution honors Don Watson’s lifetime of selfless dedication to workers, their struggles and their history.
R-24 Allow the Entire ILWU to unite and Do Something Good for Others – At the 2012 Longshore Division caucus, a resolution to help people in great need was passed unanimously. The goal of the resolution was to firstly, “do something good for others,” secondly, “unite the Longshore Division,” and finally, “involve the community so that they better understand organized labor.” ILWU Walk the Coast was created and over $250,000 has been raised for charity. This resolution invites any Division or Local of the ILWU to join with the Longshore Division and work as one ILWU Walk the Coast.
R-25 Protect and Preserve Union Pension Plans – The Pension Protection Act (PPA) which was passed during the Bush presidency limits a pension plan’s earning capability by shrinking the investment timetable. The PPA time frame has forced union pension plan trustees to begin adjusting eligibility by extending retirement age, reducing pension payments and modifying other terms and conditions. The Multi-employer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MRPA) provides distressed multi-employer plans the flexibility to suspend benefits for both active and retired pensioners to avoid insolvency. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) prohibited the reduction of retirement benefits to those who have retired. This resolution states that the ILWU strongly supports the elimination of PPA and the repeal of MRPA.
R-18 Support for Organizing the Unorganized – In spite of many challenges, unions must continue to organize and educate the unorganized to bring them the benefits of trade unionism. As union density declined, so have real wages, worker protections and rights. More importantly, to protect the gains made over the years, all unions must continue to organize. This resolution calls upon all ILWU members to support the organizing program by talking to unorganized individuals about the benefits of unionism and identifying potential targets.
R-26 Remembering Our Roots and Watering New Ones – Emerging in our union is a new generation of rank and file leaders who are full of energy and new ideas, but lack experience to continue our legacy of militancy, union democracy and internationalism. This resolution directs the delegates to go back to their Locals and seek out young members to mentor, teach and empower them so that the shared legacies are passed on to a new generation of ILWU members.
R-27 Support for Negotiating Contracts in Alaska – Contracts reached between the Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA) and the State of Alaska are being threatened due to the Republican controlled legislature blocking the needed budget solutions. This resolution supports honoring the contracts that were reached by having the Alaska State Legislature pass the needed budget solutions.
R-28 Support SINTRAPORSPA – SINTRAPORSPA is the union covering the dockworkers at the main terminal ports of Balboa and Cristobal in Panama and is affiliated with the ILWU. Panama Ports and SINTRAPORSPA are working with a negotiated collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that still is in effect, but is outsourcing and eliminating work covered under the CBA. This resolution supports SINTRAPORSPA in their fight against Panama Ports for outsourcing and eliminating work that they contractually agreed to.
R-29 #Outreach (Social Media) – This resolution ensures that the ILWU have an official online presence on social media sites and that the ILWU places a high priority on drastically increasing our official online presence by creating and posting content regularly and frequently on the social media sites on which we are on.
R-30 Supporting the National Day of Action for Medicare’s 50th Birthday – Medicare is the nation’s largest and most successful health insurance system serving the healthcare needs of almost 50 million Americans. Republicans continue to attack Medicare with proposals such as raising the eligibility age to 67 and turning Medicare into a voucher program. This resolution supports the national “Medicare Turns 50” campaign to celebrate the success of the Medicare Program. As part of the national program, the ILWU will educate and mobilize the membership for the National Day of Action July 30, 2015 and work to protect, improve and expand Medicare to cover all Americans.
R-31 China’s De Facto Control of Territorial Waters – Despite protests from Washington and U.S. allies and partners, China continues to move forward in its intended land-reclamation activities in the area along the western coast of the Philippines, called the Spratly Islands. This resolution condemns the actions of the Chinese government and urges Washington to keep the Chinese government from staking claims in international waters. It further supports the governments of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan through an international tribunal to settle the sovereignty in the South China Sea so that there is safe passage on the routes through the South China Sea for the purpose of international trade.
R-13 Opposing the TransPacific Partnership (T-PP) Trade Agreement – The T-PP agreement is cloaked in secrecy and does nothing to grow the middle class. It fails to address currency manipulation where countries make their products more affordable and U.S. products relatively more expensive. The inadequate environmental and labor standards of the T-PP are virtually unenforceable. This resolution reaffirms the ILWU’s opposition of the T-PP and calls upon our members, families and friends to contact our congressional delegates to oppose T-PP.
R-11 Combating the “Right-To-Work” Movement – “Rightto-Work” laws allows workers to decide whether or not to join or financially support a union. These free riders continue to enjoy the benefits and protection of the union contract and not pay their fair share of dues. In March 2015, Wisconsin became the 25th state to pass right-to-work laws. The increase in passage of these laws is the byproduct of the Republican victories in state legislatures and governorships. This resolution calls upon all Locals to implement an aggressive Political Action program to register members and family and to get them to the polling places for the 2016 elections. It also urges the ILWU to oppose candidates who support anti-labor legislation and calls upon all members to contribute to the ILWU Political Action Fund.
Christopher Barut (left) from Unit 2520 - Grand Wailea Resort (15 year member) at his first International Convention.“It is very interesting and educational. There is so much information to take back to my membership. It is also a worthwhile experience because I met a lot of members from other Locals,” said Christopher. Sherwin Bagayas (10 year member) also from the Grand Wailea and attending his first International Convention said “I’m learning the true meaning of democracy. Everyone had differing opinions; we debated fiercely in favor of ours on the floor as did the opposition. But after the vote was taken, we all came together as one.”