With workers nationwide demanding more fair treatment, hours, and safety measures during the Covid-19 pandemic, people are waking up to seeing how important the working class is to the lifeblood of this country — and by extension — unions.

Unions have historically fought for many of the things non-union workers are demanding right now - benefits such as paid sick leave, better safety regulations, and overall more fair treatment from companies set by a legally binding contract.

By being a member of the ILWU Local 142, you you are now part of a growing family of over 18,000 members strong. You are part of a long and proud tradition where workers organize to promote fairness and justice on the job, starting from before Hawaii’s plantation days til now.

There is strength in numbers. And perhaps more importantly, there is strength in experience. This union has a wealth of experience and history of making gains for working people despite the odds.

In the past few decades, ILWU Local 142 has navigated the closures of sugar plantations statewide, oversaw the transition of labor from agriculture to tourism, and improved the quality of life for Hawaii’s working people, providing them with medical coverage, pensions, regular wage increases and more.

Labor unions have always been the organizing platform from which workers could rise. This union will continue to help its members advocate for all the rights it has for in the past, and evolve alongside you as these times change drastically.

This photo above was taken at the 2018 ILWU Local 142 Labor Institute, a week-long educational event the union put on for members who wanted to further their leadership within their unit (workplace) and beyond.