Some of the 1,600 ML&P pensioners who no longer have to worry about receiving full pension benefits, with elected officials, ILWU members and leaders, and (seated) acting Governor Tsutsui, who displays the “Lipoa Point Day” proclamation signed on October 9, 2014.
WAILUKU—Acting Governor Shan Tsutsui signed a proclamation declaring October 9, 2014 as “Lipoa Point Day” before a crowd of Maui Land & Pineapple Co. retirees, community members, and elected officials at the ILWU Union Hall in Wailuku. The proclamation signaled the successful sale of about 280 coastal acres of land by Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc. (ML&P) to the State of Hawaii for $19.5 million. Proceeds from the sale will fund ML&P’s pension plan—which covers 1,600 retirees, a thousand of whom were ILWU members—and state acquisition of the property will protect the land from development and preserve the area as a cultural and natural resource.
ML&P financial struggles and pension shortfall
ML&P suffered significant financial losses during the recession of 2007–2009. According to ML&P Chairman and CEO Warren Haruki, the company faced potential bankruptcy due to a downturn in the real estate market, coupled with a change in Maui Pineapple Company’s operations from canning to fresh fruit production. ML&P decided to restructure its business model, shutting down Maui Pineapple Company and leasing its upcountry lands to the newly formed Haliimaile Pineapple Company.
In spite of restructuring, by the end of September 2013 ML&P had unfunded pension liabilities of $24.2 million. This funding shortfall caused the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) to become involved in overseeing ML&P’s pension plan. The PBGC is a federal agency that protects pension benefits in private-sector, defined benefit plans like the one at ML&P. The PBGC required ML&P to secure the pension fund shortfall with 8,400 acres of land assets, including Lipoa Point.
In 2013, Maui Representatives Angus McKelvey, Mele Carroll, Kaniela Ing, Justin Woodson, Kyle Yamashita, and Speaker Joe Souki introduced House Bill 1424 with two main purposes. As stated by the bill, “It is the legislature's intent that the department [of Land and Natural Maui Land & Pineapple retirees celebrate Lipoa Point Day Resources] explore options to protect and preserve [Lipoa Point’s] pristine condition, while ensuring the adequate capitalization of the pension fund against which the parcel was pledged.”
HB 1421 passed with the help of many lawmakers, particularly with the strong support of Souki, McKelvey, Woodson, and Senators Roz Baker and Gil KeithAgaran. Baker described the deal as “win-win” because the land is being preserved and ML&P’s pension fund is protected.
In June 2013, Governor Neil Abercrombie signed the bill into a law (Act 241) that directed the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to acquire Lipoa Point.
“Our retired ILWU members are extremely pleased that their pension plans have been funded,” ILWU President Donna Domingo said. “As anyone can imagine, our members looked forward to having financial security in their golden years after dedicating their lives to the company for many years.”
Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship awardees gather to compare notes
HONOLULU—The Second Annual Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship Fund (HBLSF) Open House was hosted by President Mark D. Bernstein on September 27, 2014 to recognize 2014 graduates, HBLSF awardees and their families, and to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.
Student attendees included: Kaai Conradt from Oahu, who is an undergraduate at Honolulu Community College (HCC), UHManoa undergraduates Janelle Feliciano and Lowell Sim from Maui, and Momi Mariani, Tatiana Omokawa, and Micah Saulibio from Oahu
Also present were UH-Manoa graduates Noah Kawano from Oahu and Erin Yokote from Maui. Noah Kawano graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Education and a minor in History. He is currently on a Middle Level Masters in Education degree while also teaching at Stevenson Intermediate School. Erin Yokote graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and will be applying to the John A. Burns School of Medicine in November.
Application period is open
Applications are being accepted November 1, 2014–March 1, 2015.
• If you have a child or grandchild who is a high school senior this year and plan to attend any of the University of Hawaii (UH) campuses, including the community colleges, you should encourages them to apply for the 2015 scholarships.
• If you are an ILWU Local 142 member in good standing and currently enrolled in or applied for admission to a campus of the University of Hawaii System, on a full-time basis, you should apply for the 2015 scholarships.
• Up to 10 scholarships are awarded each year
All applicants are required to videotape an interview with his or her family member who is or was an ILWU Local 142 member and write an essay about what they learned from the interview and what the role of ILWU Local 142 and other unions should be for them and others. If the ILWU Local 142 family member is deceased or not available to be interviewed, any ILWU Local 142 member may be interviewed.
Scholarship awards per semester are: $2000 for UH-Manoa, $1000 for UHHilo or UH-West Oahu, and $750 for UH community colleges. Awardees are eligible for up to eight semesters of tuition assistance. With the cost of education at UH going up, the scholarship is a good way to support a college education.
Brochures and application forms are available at any ILWU Local 142 office or on the ILWU Local 142 website www. ilwulocal142.org. For more information, visit http://harrietbouslog.com or contact Joanne Kealoha at (808) 949-4161.
Student attendees with HBLSF President Mark Bernstein. Front, l-r: Kaai Conradt, Noah Kawano, Lowell Sim, Tatiana Omokawa, and Janelle Feliciano. Back, l-r: Bernstein, Momi Mariani, Erin Yokote, and Micah Saulibio.
Social Services Coordinator Joanne Kealoha, scholarship fund President Mark Bernstein, and Longshore Division Business Agent Tyrone Tahara encourage all students with ILWU relatives that are planning to attend a campus in University of Hawaii System to apply for the scholarship.
