HILO—The Hilton Waikoloa Village ILWU negotiating committee met on October 30, 2013, at the ILWU Hall at 100 West Lanikaula Street in Hilo to review and check the new contract for any errors before sending it for signature by the union and the company.
Hilton Waikoloa Village negotiating committee members (l-r) Michael DelaCruz, spokesperson Corinna Salmo, Rochelle Javill, Dallas Holeso-Kuhaiki, Janice Barrios, and Michael Chrinko. Not pictured: Steve Hoffmann, Mark Liebl, Freda Ezzo, Daverick Feliciano, Sarah Kaoo-Lavea, Wesley “Virgil” Martinez.
The union committee makes sure the new contract correctly contains all the agreements made during negotiations and no other section of the contract has been omitted or altered.
There have been cases where management or their attorneys have changed the language or left out sections of the contract without talking about these changes with the union. It has long been standard practice for the union’s negotiating committees to compare every word of the new contract with the old contract to make sure every section of the contract is correct.
The Hilton Waikoloa Village is located on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island and features 1,240 guest rooms and suites. The hotel was built in 1988 and employs more than 700 ILWU members
The ratification was held September 25, 2013, at the Hotel and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was approved overwhelmingly. The duration of the new contract is three years with a 2.5% wage increase each year. Other improvements include a substantial increase in the contributions to the pension plan, and increases in premiums for roll away bed and extra room in the housekeeping department.
In a show of solidarity, the negotiating committee from the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa—which is also a Hilton resort— participated in the negotiation meetings.
Members of the negotiating committee are as follows: Chairperson Steven Hoffmann, 1st Vice-Chairperson Mark Liebl, 2nd Vice-Chairperson Dallas Holeso-Kuhaiki, 3rd Vice-Chairperson Michael DelaCruz, Secretary/Unit Bulletin Editor Janice Barrios, Treasurer Freda Ezzo, Michael Chrinko, Daverick Feliciano, Rochelle Javillo, Sarah KaooLavea, Wesley “Virgil” Martinez, and spokesperson/Business Agent Corinna Salmo.
Know non-union workers who need help organizing?
The ILWU represents workers in the following industries: transportation, agriculture, tourism, automotive, retail, healthcare, and more! If you know workers at a non-union company who need help securing their jobs and making improvements at their workplace, let your union representative know.
Call the ILWU and ask for the Organizing Department at your Division Office:
Hawaii (808) 935-3727 • Maui County (808) 244-9191
Kauai (808) 245-3374 • Oahu (808) 949-4161
Hawaii Longshore (808) 949-4161
