Hawaii Longshore Division negotiating committee (sitting, l-r): Secretary-Treasurer and Unit 4201 Overall Secretary Drake Delaforce, Division Director Nate Lum, Statewide Negotiating Committee Chair and Unit 4201 Overall Chair Elgin Calles, Unit 4201 Overall Vice Chair Dustin Dawson, International Vice President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado. (Standing, l-r): Business Agent Dennis Morton, Unit 1201 - Big Island Stevedores/HSI Chair Ronald Auwae Sr., Unit 3201 - Nawiliwili Stevedores Chair Nelson Rita, Unit 2201 - Kahului Stevedores Chair Samuel Kaaihue, Unit 4201 - HSI Vice Chair Christian West, Unit 4201 - McCabe, Hamilton & Renny Vice Chair Curt Kalama, Executive Secretary Lynette Mau, Vice Division Director William Haole IV, and Business Agent Tyrone Tahara.
HONOLULU—Unit 4201 longshore workers on Oahu voted unanimously to ratify a tentative contract agreement reached on April 2, 2015. Members at neighbor island ports began voting on the agreement earlier in the week of May 18-22, 2015. With the Oahu vote, members of the Hawaii Longshore Division unanimously approved the new 5-year agreement that will expire on July 1, 2019.
Longshore employers will continue to provide fully paid medical and dental benefits for active workers and retirees. The agreement increases wages by $6.50 an hour over the life of the contract. Wage differentials for skilled classifications will increase by an additional $2.00 per hour effective July 1, 2015 and July 1, 2016.
Significant improvements were made in pension benefits to future and past retirees. Also, the unreduced surviving spouses benefit increased from 50% to 70% for retirees prior to June 30, 1999 and 50% to 65% for retirees from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2008.
Members that retired after July 1, 2008 and into the future will see the unreduced surviving spouses benefits increase from 60% to 75%.
Other gains included strong language incorporated into the contract which addresses current practices, job safety protections, and regaining and maintaining job jurisdiction.
Statewide Negotiating Committee Chair and Unit 4201 Overall Chair Elgin Calles credited the hard-working negotiating committee, the Longshore Executive Board and more importantly the solidarity of the workers on the docks in achieving the settlement.
Tentative agreements have been reached with the Wharf Clerks, CY/CFS and Maintenance units. Negotiations are still ongoing with Matson Clericals, Bulk Sugar and Young Brothers.
See page 2 for a summary report on West Coast longshore negotiations
Members of the Hawaii Longshore unit raise their hands to approve a Memorandum of Agreement that maintains excellent health benefits and job safety protections, and increases pension benefits for past and future retirees.
Horizon Lines (HSI) Josue Orpilla asking for a point of clarification during the presentation of the Memorandum of Agreement.
