The top executive officers of ILWU Local 142 are the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary-Treasurer.
In addition to their individual duties, the officers work collectively as a three-person team called the “Titled Officers.” Together they direct and coordinate the work of the union and all other officers. They work out of the Honolulu Office.
Democratic to its core, the vast majority of ILWU Local 142’s officials -- Titled Officers, Business Agents, Division and Local Representatives -- are voted in by the members instead of appointed internally. These officers are elected every three years. This triennium started from January 2, 2019 and will last through January 1, 2021.
All of them started off as rank-and-file members just like you! Get to know more of them in the following pages.
Donna first became a member of the ILWU when she was hired at the Aston Maui Lu Resort in 1981. She became a lead front desk agent in 1995. She served her unit as steward, secretary-treasurer, vice chair and chair. She also served as a Trustee on the Local Executive Board.
She ran for the seat of Vice President in 2003 and after serving three terms she ran for President, a seat she has been re-elected to since 2012.
Corinna hails from the Big Island. She got her start in the ILWU in 1979 when she was hired at Punalu’u Blacksands Restaurant as a server.
Two years from that, she worked at Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Services LLC Ka’u as a tractor operator. She served her unit as treasurer, editor and secretary. She was elected as a Hawaii Division Business Agent in 2006 until 2018. Corinna was elected Local Vice President in 2018.
Brian became an ILWU member when he started working for the Hawaii Newspaper Agency in 1978 as a district manager. Brian served as unit chair, vice chair, and steward from 1978 to 1993.
Brian also served on the International and Local Executive Boards from 1993 to 1997. He was first elected as a Business Agent in 1994 and was elected until 2018. Brian was elected Local Secretary-Treasurer in 2018.
Maui Division holds unit editor training
KAHULUI — On August 21, 2019, Maui Division held a unit bulletin training for eight members who stepped up to be unit editors.
Knowledge is power
Since the ILWU Local 142 is the most democratic union in the state, and perhaps even the nation (see further pages for more of the officials elected by members), education is important.
After all, how can one make good decisions if they are not fully informed?
Strong education program in place: to empower the rank-and-file to make informed decisions about how they want to run their union.
In the ILWU everything is up for vote by the rank-and-file. Choices ranging from who is on the negotiating committee, changes in the contract, and who are the top leaders in the organization are decided democratically in elections.
What is a unit editor?
A unit editor, like many other leadership positions within a unit, is a voluntary role. They plan, write, lay out and print a bulletin that reports on concerns within the unit, and solutions and facts that can help members resolve conflicts and strengthen the union.
“I want to be a mover and shaker for the union,” said new editor Stephanie Smythe from Unit 2501 Royal Lahaina Resort, when asked why she volunteered to be an editor.
The day-long training helped the editors get familiar with each other so they can be in touch as they find their footing as leaders in the union.
1) L-R: Myla Onellion, Stephanie Smythe, Charlene Keho, Cindy Milla. 2) L-R: Seini Dennis, Arianne Joyce Impelido, John Palpallatoc.
Future looks bright for new editors
The training noted that a substantial amount of ILWU’s leaders of today, as well as yesterday, were all award-winning ILWU unit bulletin editors. In this issue you will see that current Local Vice President Corinna Nguyen was one, as was current Oahu Division Director Michael Yamaguchi, among others!
They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Whether the members in attendance go on to run for higher office within the union or create ripple effects within their unit that will be felt for years to come, we commend these new editors who came forward to fill an important education role:
Venancio Garduque Unit 2526 Andaz Maui at Wailea; Seini Dennis Unit 2505 Westin Maui; Cindy Milla Unit 2527 Kaanapali Alii; Charlene Keho Unit 2516 Hyatt Regency Maui; Myla Onellion Unit 2520 Grand Wailea Resort; John Palpallatoc Unit 2520; Stephanie Smith Unit 2501 Royal Lahaina Resort; Arianne Joyce Impelido Unit 2508 Foodland.