LABOR DAY is celebrated every year, but for unions, the holiday is cause for even more thoughtful reflection on how much the labor movement has benefited society for all. ILWU Local 142 has several Labor Day celebrations across its divisions.
The Big Island held one in Pahala for its pensioners on August 24; the Hawaii Longshore Division held one at the Kauai ILWU Hall on September 2; Oahu’s members attended the annual Labor Unity Picnic at Waikiki Shell with other Labor Unions; and Kauai Division held their annual Pensioners’ Picnic on September 7.
on September 7. It makes sense that many pensioners’ get-togethers center around Labor Day because if not for their early efforts in the ILWU in pineapple and sugar, and tourism as it was gaining more traction in Hawaii, the labor movement would not have been as strong as it was in Hawaii. As Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said in his speech to the pensioners at their picnic, “I owe so much to you guys; learning from your work ethic and sacrifice humbles me and I am proud to attend this picnic every year.”
Former Kauai Division Director Bobby Girald addressed the crowd with similar sentiments, “All of us coming together like this reminds us we have strength.” Mahalo to all the Divisions for making it a point to celebrate Labor Day every year with young and old alike.
Many politicians make it a point to attend the Kauai Division’s Annual Labor Day Picnic. State Representative Nadine Nakamura was also in attendance this year in addition to Mayor Kawakami pictured above.
More photos from Kauai’s Pensioner Picnic: This event is well-attended every year for the camaraderie, games and prizes. Everyone who comes gets to play golf, bingo, beanbag toss and darts. Prizes range from bags of rice and vienna sausage to grand prizes like a flat screen TV
ILWU LOCAL 142 MOVIE RECOMMENDATION-continued from page 3
over and over,” explains a Chinese manager overseeing the plant to the other Chinese workers who work side by side helping the Americans.
The strain between the Chinese management’s expectations and American workers’ desire for basic protection on the job (mind you they are working with temperamental glass!) leads the American workers to seek unionization.
“Bleeding money is even worse than a union,” complains Fuyao’s chairman Cho Tak Wong.
Amid bleak scenes of grueling factory work are also scenes of cross-cultural bonding, like an American worker inviting his fellow Chinese workers over for Thanksgiving.
The contrast of cultures can have friendlier implications, and differences do not have to lead to conflict (i.e. fierce competition in our home markets or as is the case in Trump’s America, all-out trade war).
But in a world where capitalism and profits reign supreme, do those little gestures amount to anything meaningful?
At the end of the day, many of the American workers are getting replaced by Chinese ones, or worse yet: automation.
Unions are the workers’ best bet for security within this rapidly-changing and increasingly globalized world.
We hope you will watch this movie to see if in fact the Americans do get to unionize, and hope you let us know what you think!
Your membership in the ILWU comes with many benefits. Here is one such benefit - HomeStreet Bank’s Affinity Lending Center is offering ILWU members:
- Free homeownership education
- Home loan savings of as much as $1500 or more depending on the amount of your loan
- Access to local down-payment assistance programs
