On February 13, 2012, a group of 11 Japanese labor leaders arrived in Hawaii to show their support for the workers of Pacific Beach Hotel. The delegation comprised of leaders from the All Japan Dockworkers Union (Zenkowan), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the National Federation of Dockworkers’ Unions of Japan (Zenkoku-kowan) and Labor Now.

The delegation participated in a rally at the hotel that drew some 200 participants from local unions and community organizations. Most significantly, more than 40 workers from the hotel came out to join the picketers. Since 2007, the workers have been intimidated by the company’s actions and feared for their jobs if they came out publicly for the union. However, a recent federal ruling that reinstated one of the workers, who was unjustly fired twice, seems to have given the workers more confidence to stand up for themselves.

The delegation was on Oahu for the week, meeting with Hawaii Tourism Authority Officials, Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, touring the Honolulu Waterfront with Longshore Division Officers, Hawaii Longshore Division Director Nate Lum, International Vice President Wesley Furtado. The Tour of the Waterfront gave the Japanese dockworkers a close up view of how our ILWU members run Hawaii’s ports.

A small group of students from Meiji University also joined the delegation and participated in the Pacific Beach Hotel meetings and rally. The group, with their professor Matt Noyes, visited Dole Plantation on Oahu with Oahu Division Business Agent Dillon Hullinger. They also flew to Maui to visit Ameron (a construction industry-related company) and the Grand Wailea Resort with Maui Division Business Agents Abel Kahoohanohano, Steve Castro, Teddy Espeleta, and Hyatt Regency Maui unit officer Steven Lee.

Recently elected Pacific Beach Hotel Unit Chairperson Ruben Bumanglag is interviewed after the rally by KITV news. “I’m very hopeful that we will have a contract pretty soon,” said Bumanglag.

One of the Japan delegation’s priorities was to participate in a protest rally outside the Pacific Beach Hotel. Delegation members pictured above brought banners signed by union supporters in Japan. (L-r) Deputy Secretary General of the Okinawa Chapter of Zenkowan Riki Moromi, Secretary General of the Kanmon Local of Kyushu Regional Chapter of Zenkowan Kengo Homoto, President of the Yokohama Local of the Kanto Regional Chapter of Zenkowan Seiichi Suzuki, interpreter Mari Kita, President of the Hokkaido Regional Chapter of Zenkowan Shoji Kimura and delegation leader Deputy Secretary General of Zenkowan Headquarters Katsushige Mashima.

Seiichi Suzuki, with International Representative Tracy Takano (left) and Oahu Business Agent Shane Ambrose (right) leads rally participants in a chant of “Danketsu shite, gambaro!” (“Unite and fight!”)

The Japan labor union delegation and Meiji University students met with Pacific Beach Hotel workers after the rally. They ate dinner together and shared their experiences with each other. Both Japan delegation leader Katsushige Mashima and ILWU International Vice President Hawaii Wesley Furtado spoke about the importance of international labor solidarity