Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines (PHTL) is scheduled to enter the West Coast-Hawaii shipping market in late 2004 with the Jean Anne, a brand-new, $70 million U.S. made ship, specifically designed to handle cars and trucks. The highly specialized cargo ship is called a “pure car and truck carrier” (PCTC) and the one being built for Pasha by VT Halter Marine Yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, will have the capacity to carry as many as 4,300 cars, buses or trucks. The 579 foot vessel will have 10 decks and a 100-ton stern ramp which will allow cars to be driven on and off the ship.

Local 142 Hawaii played an important and progressive role in setting the direction of the International ILWU for the future.

Millions of retirees are forced to choose between paying for food and paying for soaring costs of prescription drugs. This week, the Senate will be debating a bill that could make matters even worse for millions of retirees.

The working class has no interest in war. Only in a stable, secure, peaceful world can the ILWU, or any other union, hope to be able to fight for and win those improvements in the lives of the members to which the trade union movement is dedicated.

ILWU policies and actions on foreign affairs have always been built on the belief that international labor solidarity and world peace are the cornerstones of social and economic justice for all workers, including the membership of the ILWU.

“Of all the enemies to liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded...”

These are the words of James Madison, who is often called the “Father of the Constitution” because many of his views about
government became part of the U.S. Constitution. Madison also served as the 4th President of the U.S. from 1809 to 1817.

The Constitution of the United States

Article I. Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and
provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform
throughout the United States;

While most nations have reduced their military spending—including Russia, which has cut its military spending from $300 billion in 1988 to $45 billion today—the U.S. continues to divert vast sums of our tax dollars to increase military spending. The 2003 military budget of $414 billion is almost equal to the $451 billion that the rest of the world combined spends on defense, and 18 times more than the $22 billion spent by China.

Since taking office in January 2001, George W. Bush has led the U.S. into two wars—the war against Afghanistan and the war against Iraq.

Are ILWU members in the healthcare and hotel industry at a greater risk of catching SARS? There are some risks
and ILWU members should know the basic precautions and safety protections to avoid catching SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

A large percentage of the early SARS cases have been healthcare workers who treated SARS patients before infection control precautions, such as using gloves and respirators, were instituted. Once precautions were taken, however, there were very few secondary infections and the disease was contained.