Labor Institute - from page 6

Diane Thomas-Holladay showed how labor and the religious community can work together because they share common goals for justice and fairness. Diane (far right) shows how the very rich got the most benefit from George Bush's tax cut. The wealthy got enough money to buy new cars while working people barely got enough to buy a plate lunch.

Dawn Addy revealed the tricks used by union busting consultants to mislead workers during a union organizing drive.

Diane Thomas-Holladay - Labor Education Program University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Diane Thomas-Holladay taught four workshop: Political Power/Faith and Labor; Strengthening the Local Union; and Union Busting; and Politics, the Economy and Working Families.

• learned how both political/faith labor can work together. This is a great tool for the union - Ululani Kalua, Maui Pineapple.

Dawn Addy - Center for Labor Education & Research Florida International University
Dawn Addy taught four workshops: Building Community Support for Your Struggle; Communications Skills; Fighting Open Shops and Union Busting; and Fighting Subcontracting and Workload Issues. 

• A good class for tourism industry. Smarter to tackle workloads. 
• Subcontracting. Because it takes away union jobs and positions. 
• Subcontracting out. Don't like it. Takes food off my dinner table - Thomas Kelii, Hawaiian Memorial Park. 
• A lot of open discussion, examples, participation - Rhonda Morris, Grand Hyatt Kauai. 
• Instructor led lively discussions. I can now appreciate the danger of subcontracting - Frankie Pang, Hapuna Prince. 

• Group discussion was the best part. I hear other issues besides hotel problems.

  

  Sharon Simon uses a mapping exercise to help workers identify dangerous conditions in their workplace. Different colored dots are used to identify biological hazards, physical hazards, chemical hazards, stress hazards like too much work, or ergonomic hazards due to repeated motions. A concentration of dots would show where the union can take action to ensure a safer workplace.

  

  Tracy Chang's class taught people how to find strategic information on their employers and key management personnel. Websites such as www.sec.gov, www.Hovers.com, and www.guidestar.org can yield information on public, private, and non-profit companies.

Sharon Simon - Director, Labor Safety and Health Training - National Labor College
Sharon Simon taught three workshops: Fighting for a Safe Workplace and Don't Work Til it Hurts (two times).

• Pointed out some creative ways to get members attention. 
• Great class, terrific instructor. Overall awesome. 
• Goals for safety & health. Yes, we need to try this at work first - training was excellent. 
• Made me start thinking about how to fix hazard in my place of employment. Good information I can take back to my unit and other members. Thank you for a great class. Teacher was very informative and knowledgeable. 
• All of the information is very powerful and certainly will be used as a guideline for our unit. My unit will be initiating a safety committee. 
• Lots of good information. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) rights and legal health and safety - just being able to better understand rights.

Tracy Chang - Labor Education and Research Center University of Alabama at Birmingham
Tracy Chang taught four workshops: Digging Out the Facts and Corporate Campaigns; Immigrant Rights-Broken Borders or Broken Justice; and Gender and Equality.

• Strategy and tactics of corporate campaigns. Using the Pacific Beach Hotel as a case study. Went very well even with the time constraint. - Don Cooper, Matson CFS/CY. 
• Information on how to search web sites about the dirt on companies. Very informational and helpful with hands on experience with using computer laptops. Great energy. Great information given. Also helpful information to help us with our negotiating next year - Tiffany Kolo, Grand Wailea. 
• Improve communication with members. The instructor was clear with her lesson and very knowledgeable, she was respectful and very polite. Aloha - Julio Martinez, Jr. Hilton Waikoloa. 
• Web sites to look up company info. This will help us in our upcoming negotiations. 
• Immigration laws and immigrant rights. Level of population divided by race - Leo Reyes, Ritz Carlton. 
• All of the information shared was very interesting. There was a wealth of information and what we need to do to build a stronger unit - Alanna Agustin, Wilcox Hospital. 
• The differences in gender jobs and how they are not equal--except when there is a union - Elana Sousa, Maui Lu Resort. 
• Gender roles and how to change them. Showing ways to change things for women's opportunity - Kay Kelly, Westin Maui.