HILO—On February 21, 2015, Hawaii Division held its 38th Annual Recognition Awards at the Garden Court banquet room at Nani Mau Gardens. It rained most of the day in East Hawaii, darkening the late afternoon sky and slicking roads. But bad weather did not put a damper on the spirits of Big Islanders—nearly 200 ILWU members, pensioners and guests showed up to attend the event celebrating the hard work done by Hawaii Division in 2014.
ILWU members and retirees drove to Hilo from Kona and Waikoloa. They came from the Hamakua Coast, Keaau, Puna and Kau. For some, attendance meant a four-hour round trip. For others, it meant leaving home a hour early to be at Nani Mau to prepare for the event. Hawaii Division full-time officers, organizers, and rank-and-file leaders arrived early and hurried about, completing last minute tasks.
“This is a special event”
People crowded around the sign-in table right inside the front door. Co-workers stopped to give each other hugs as they checked in. Warm “hellos” were followed by questions about family and friends. Folks at the check-in also took time to sign petition cards supporting ILWU members at Hamakua Kohala Health who are struggling to negotiate a fair contract. Organizing staff Ron Clough and Colleen Antonio urged guests to sign the petitions as they collected banquet tickets. Even when Hawaii Division members attend a social gathering, the work of the union doesn’t stop.
Many members and pensioners were dressed up, but the atmosphere was as comfortable as a family get-together. The band Makanao played familiar music, and guests declared the buffet dinner “ono” and “right on.”
“This is a special event and it makes me so happy to be here,” said pensioner Natividad “Naty” Pinzon of the Pepeekeo Pension Club. “We come to this banquet year after year because we want to know about the ILWU program,” said Pepeekeo Club President Barbara Hanog. “This is one way we stay connected to the union.”
The importance of connections
Division Director Elmer Gorospe, former Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director and State Senator Dwight Takamine, and Local Secretary-Treasurer Guy Fujimura spoke at the banquet. The theme of “connection” ran though each person’s speech.
Gorospe talked about the connection between union members, and the way the ILWU remains unified despite great diversity. “The essence of our strength and ability is to debate the issues and mold the solutions—then walk out of the room with a unified front. It is that unified front that can move mountains. When we have a unified front we can do anything,” said Gorospe.
front we can do anything,” said Gorospe. Dwight Takamine spoke about the longtime connection between the union and Big Island communities. He gave examples of union support for sugar workers when Big Island plantations shut down during the 1990s. Takamine explained the important role that the union played in securing housing for workers. He also noted that the ILWU helped to get federal funding so that the Hamakua Infirmary could continue to provide care for working families along the Hamakua Coast. The Hamakua Infirmary is now still commonly referred to as the Hamakua Health Center, but its name was changed in 2014 to Hamakua Kohala Health. “It is important that this kind of history is not forgotten,” said Takamine. He also stressed the connection between earlier generations of ILWU members who built the union, and members who continue to build the union today. “Please continue to honor the history and record of this proud organization, because by doing so, it is a way of saying ‘thank you’ to all those who came before us, and who laid the foundation for our better quality of life,” he said.
Guy Fujimura told a story about the significance of the 1951 Lanai pineapple strike in understanding solidarity between union members across an industry. According to Fujimura, Lanai pineapple workers held a strike on their own, but the whole ILWU put its strength together to support them. After they won, the Lanai workers shared their victory so that every single pineapple worker in the industry got a raise. “It’s an example of union brothers and sisters and families gathering to support a group of workers—and that group of workers having the principle to understand that in order for the victory to have long-lasting effects, the whole industry had to be raised up,” said Fujimura. “I call on you, as did Elmer and Dwight, to please honor those who worked so hard to build this union by continuing the struggle.”
The recognition night was an affirmation of connections: between union and community, between members expressing solidarity with other members, between individuals and their union—the ILWU.
“The ILWU is an awesome organization to be a part of,” said co-emcee Tristie Licoan, a young leader from Unit 1503 - Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Laupahoehoe Pension Club President Tom Poy is nearly two generations older, but feels the same strong bond with the union. He smiled and said, “The ILWU has always been a part of our lives.”
Award Winners
• Outstanding Unit, 1-29 members: Unit 1418 - Kuwaye Trucking Inc.
• Outstanding Unit 30-99 members: Unit 1424 - Yukio Okutsu State Veteran’s Home
• Outstanding Unit, 100 & over members (Hotel): Unit 1517 - Hilton Waikoloa Village
• Outstanding Unit, 100 & over members (General Trades): Unit 1402 - Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp.
• Hawaii Division Best Unit Bulletin: Swanee Rillanos, Unit 1503 - Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
• Most Active Pension Club: Pepeekeo Pension Club
• Pension Club, Most New Members: Kona Pension Club
• Special Recognition Awards: Nick Lopez, Unit 1503 - Mauna Kea Beach Hotel; Frankie Pang, Unit 1518 - Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.
(Sitting) Roland Shimaoka Jr. from Unit 1418 - Kuwaye Trucking, wife Pingo Shimaoka, Kamalani Hutchinson from Unit 1419 - A&B Fleet Services, and guest Jill Asuncion; (standing) guest Kelvin Kubo and Cody Kubo from A&B Fleet Services. Kuwaye Trucking received the award for Outstanding Unit, 1-29 Members. (Top right) Dwight Takamine speaks about the long relationship the ILWU has had with communities along the Hamakua Coast.
(Above left) Hu Honua Bioenergy LLC resumed construction at the end of 2014 on a biomass power plant in Pepeekeo, and ILWU members Cody Morett, Danilo Alviento and Ben Watts attended the recognition night banquet. When asked why they decided to attend, Morett said, “I’m here to show support. We’re part of the union family now, too.” (Above right) Local SecretaryTreasurer Guy Fujimura regales members with stories from the ILWU’s history. (Right) Unit 1402 - Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp. again receives the award for Outstanding Unit, 100 & Over Members (General Trades).
(Below, left) Unit 1416 - Calavo Growers Inc. members (sitting, l-r) Fraxie Simeon and Miriam Arquitola; (standing) Leroy Dikito, Unit Treasurer Modesto Albano, and Juan Pascua.
Unit 1517 - Hilton Waikoloa Village members accept the award for Outstanding Unit, 100 & Over Members (Hotel) as well as certificates of recognition from the Hawaii County Council and State Representative Clifton Tsuji. All outstanding units received these three awards. (L-r, front row) Division Director Elmer Gorospe, Lloyd Matsubara, Irene Matsubara, Business Agent Corinna Salmo, Councilperson Valerie Poindexter’s liaison Lenny Castillo, Wendy Dela Cruz. (Back row) Representative Tsuji and Michael Dela Cruz.