HONOLULU—Graduation on Friday, June 17 was the last event of an intensive five days of learning and interaction for the participants of the 7th ILWU Labor Institute. It was the end of the Institute but just the beginning for taking what they learned back to the membership.

The Longshore Caucus did a terrific job of moving the Division forward at its meeting in early April. Delegates representing every longshore, clerk and walking boss local on the Coast stayed focused and on course with the strategy set out in our 2003 Caucus aimed at putting ourselves in a strong position before entering into the 2008 contract negotiations.

A jury trial in US District Court resulted in a verdict against the ILWU which ordered the union to pay $1.24 million in damages to Maui member Nicanor Casumpang, Jr. The ILWU is appealing the decision, but if the verdict and award are upheld, it could impact all 20,000 members of ILWU Local 142 in Hawaii.

“Awesome” was the word some of the participants used to describe the education they got at the ILWU’s 7th Labor Institute. They also used “awesome” to describe each other, as that special group of active union members who seek the knowledge to help their brothers and sisters on the job and to make the world a better place. 

HONOLULU—In the fall of 2004, a “waterfront coalition”—including the ILWU, Matson Navigation Co. McCabe Hamilton & Renny, Hawaii Stevedores Inc., Horizon Lines, Young Brothers Ltd., Sause Brothers, NCL America, and the A&B Foundation—came together to promote community awareness of crystal methamphetamine (“ice” or “crystal meth”) abuse by providing financial support for the Edgy Lee documentary “ICE II: Life or Meth.”

WAILUKU—Sunny skies and high winds made for hot, dusty playing conditions at Keopuolani Park in Wailuku, site of the 50th ILWU Men’s Fast Pitch Tournament.

Four teams participated this year: the Islanders from Maui Division, Mauna Lani from Hawaii Division, Weyerhaeuser from Oahu Division, and Kauai Coffee from Kauai Division.

PORTLAND, Oregon—For the first time, on April 29 - May 2, 2005, the ILWU participated in the AFLCIO’s union industries show, a trade show that exclusively showcases union goods and services and promotes public interest in union industries.

In a democratic union like the ILWU, there are members at every workplace who are elected by their fellow workers to lead the union organization at their job site. These elected workers are called “Unit Officers” and the union organization at the job site is called a “Unit” of the ILWU

Arnold Schwarzenegger rode a wave of populist discontent and Hollywood star power into California’s governorship. He played the role of the outsider taking on the status quo, the new sheriff come to clean up the town. The newspapers never mentioned the bankers and railroad barons funding his efforts.

The ILWU sent three delegates to represent the union in South Africa at the tenth year commemoration of the end of apartheid and at an international mine workers conference last November.