Over 100 ILWU members at eight Kaiser Permanente clinics approved a new contract settlement. The ILWU represents the medical imaging technicians such as X-ray, CAT Scans, Ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Other Kaiser workers are represented by the Hawaii Nurse’s Association and UniteHERE. The Nurses approved a contract with Kaiser but UniteHERE remains in negotiations with management.

Kaiser is one of the medical plan options offered under many ILWU contracts and with the ILWU Health and Welfare Trust Fund.

Kaiser Permanente has expanded statewide and provides health care to its members on all islands. Their primary hospital is the Moanalua Medical Center and Clinic, and at conveniently located Kaiser Permanente outpatient medical offices on the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii. Most of these Kaiser Permanente facilities also provide services such as laboratory and pharmacy.

Hawaii (3 clinics) - Hilo Clinic, Waimea Clinic, and Kona Clinic.

Maui (4 clinics and a partnership with the Maui Memorial Medical Center) - Kihei Clinic, Lahaina Clinic, Maui Lani Clinic, Wailuku Clinic, and Maui Memorial Medical Center.

Oahu (11 facilities on Oahu) 
- Hawaii Kai, Honolulu Clinic in Makiki, Moanalua Medical Center, Mapunapuna Clinic, Kapolei, Kahuku, Kailua, Koolau Clinic in Kaneohe, Nanaikeola Clinic in Waianae, and the Waipio Clinic in Waipahu. Behavioral Health Services in the Ala Moana Building.

Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai 
On the islands of Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai, Kaiser Permanente contracts with individual physicians and clinics to provide primary and specialty care.

Kauai - Kaiser has contracts with a large number of physicians at the Kapaa Family Medicine, North Shore Medical Center, West Kauai Clinics (Eleele, Kalaheo, and Waimea), Aloha Medical Center, Hale Lea Medicine, Kauai Pediatrics, and with individual physicians. Emergency services are provided by Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, the Samuel Mahelona Hospital, and Wilcox Memorial Hospital.

Lanai - Lanai has 4 primary care physicians to serve Kaiser members. Emergency and specialty services are provided by Lanai Community Hospital. Straub Lanai Family Health Center provides physical therapy services.

Molokai - Molokai has 5 primary care and internal medicine physicians to serve Kaiser members. Emergency and specialty services are provided by Molokai General Hospital. Liberty Dialysis provides dialysis treatments and Care Resources Hawaii provides home care services.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel members save big with ILWU Health & Welfare Trust Fund

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel employees faced with paying hundreds of dollars a month for health care through their current medical insurance providers, on March 23rd, 2010 elected to join the ILWU Hotel Health and Welfare Trust Fund, and in doing so, saved the majority of workers hundreds of dollars.

Traditionally the employees at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, on average, have paid high co-share rates for medical insurance for many years. The insurance companies involved would consistently site the levels of insurance usage at Mauna Kea verses similar properties. This year, United Health Alliance, or UHA had drastically increased their monthly premiums even though Kaiser Permanente had a decrease in their premiums. This dynamic meant that Mauna Kea Beach Hotel employees monthly out-of-pocket share of the medical premiums for family coverage on the UHA plans, would have been either $395.68 or $552.73 respectively, depending upon the plan they selected. For the same coverage last year, the employees were paying either $111.58 or $237.05. “Once I heard about the premium increases and the amounts our members were going to have to pay, I assembled our Hawaii Division Team together and told them that our members cannot afford to be hit with a payment that high, and we must put a stop to it,” said Hawaii Division Director, Richard Baker Jr.

The Hawaii Division team, along with the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel negotiating committee, which included Unit Chairman, Nick Lopez, Secretary/Treasurer, Swanee Rillanos, along with Shop Stewards, Joe Appleton, and Kathleen Ishizu, all worked together at a feverish pace in negotiations with the company in order to join the ILWU Hotel, Health and Welfare Trust Fund. “We were under the gun as the new health insurance premiums needed to paid very soon,” says Baker. “The Union’s Health Insurance program has been successfully in place at some of our largest Hotel properties in the state, and currently there is no co-share for workers on the Hotel plan. We thought this was the right fit at the right time and we are very proud of the negotiating committee for guiding their members through this challenge.”

The ILWU Hotel Health and Welfare (aka H&W) was developed by the Union in order control the high cost of medical insurance premiums that have been dogging efforts of negotiating committees across the state as they try to increase wages and other crucial benefits. “When we purchase health insurance as a large group, and we cut out the need for profits to line the pockets of the insurance industry, we can pass that savings on to our members, who in effect can use those resources in other areas of their lives,” said Wallace Ishibashi Jr., Hawaii Division Business Agent. Ishibashi continued, “This plan wasn’t popular with some of our members at first, but thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication, our plans services rival the services of HMSA, UHA, and the like.” Plan participants can also choose the Kaiser option as well, with no difference in cost.

“The Hilo Massacre” performed at Kumu Kahua Theatre

The play is a retelling of the story of Hilo workers who held a march and rally on August 1, 1938, to support members of the Inlandboatmen’s Union involved in a labor dispute with the Inter-Island Steamship Company. Police and National Guardsmen fired their shotguns at the peaceful demonstrators, injuring 52 people. The event became known as the Hilo Massacre.

ILWU longshore unit officer Del Beazley made a presentation to the audience after the performance of the play. He explained to the audience that workers like himself honor the memory of the people who stood up for their rights so long ago by playing an active role in the union today. Beazley also composed and performed an original song to honor the sacrifice of workers.You can watch stunning live video of the 1938 demonstration and shooting, followed by a commentary by Joe “Blur” Kealalio at the University of Hawaii West Oahu’s Center for Labor Education and Research website. Visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhwo/clear/Pubs/HiloMassacre.html