On January 16, 2009, important new rules on the Family Medical Leave Act went into effect. Following are some of the changes: 

• Employees will have to follow their employer’s call-in policies when they are planning to miss work “absent unusual circumstances.” Previously, employees had up to two business days after an absence to notify the company that their absence was due to family leave. 

The ILWU Local 142 Political Action Committee has endorsed Mazie Hirono for the U.S. Senate, Colleen Hanabusa for the U.S. House of Representatives First Congressional District, and Mufi Hannemann for the U.S. House of Representatives Second Congressional District in 2012. Senator Dan Inouye’s term runs until 2016 and he already has the full support and endorsement of the ILWU.

ILWU Local 21 members are continuing their fight for fairness at the EGT grain terminal in Longview, Washington, where the high-stakes struggle continues to generate some dramatic twists and turns. “The fight for justice in Longview involves a lot more than just our little town it’s about corporate greed and the future of America’s middle class,” said ILWU Local 21 President Dan Coffman.

Along with this ownership of wealth comes control and influence over the political system. While the wealth of the one percent has grown, the conditions for the vast majority of people have worsened, with more people unemployed, living in poverty, carrying greater debt, and struggling to make a living.

Participants from the Unit 2520 - Grand Wailea Resort discuss their plan and timeline for mobilizing members around contract issues. (L-r, standing) Steve West, Jason Medeiros, Michael Friday, Henry Oandasan, and Valerie Salmon. (Sitting) Helene “Lei” Kaiahua-Sado, Robert Apo, Merlina Valdez, and Perlita Manlansing.

In the afternoon session, the Tourism Caucus focused on how to prepare for negotiations. Officers from two hotel units—the Hilton Waikoloa Village and the Hyatt Regency Maui— explained what they are doing to organize and mobilize their members.

Hilton Waikoloa Village 
The Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Island of Hawaii is one of the ILWU’s largest hotels with close to 700 members. Their union contract expires in September 2013, but the unit has already begun to organize and mobilize their members.

You may qualify for partial unemployment benefits

In December 2008, Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company (HC&S) imposed a one-week furlough on all employees for either the week of December 8 or December 15. A full-time employee of HC&S went to the Unemployment Insurance office and was told the December furlough would be his waiting period and he would be paid for future furloughs. He believed the word of the unemployment officer and did not file a claim.

HONOLULU—Maui Division Business Agent Teddy Espeleta was invited as a guest of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa to attend a welcome dinner reception for Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III on November 13, 2011. Nearly 1,000 local Filipinos welcomed the Philippine president at the reception held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki. The dinner was organized by the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee (PCCC).

(Above left) The ILWU gave away 1,500 hot dogs at the Oahu Labor Day Unity Picnic at the Waikiki Shell on September 4, 2011. (Above right) Kauai members celebrated Labor Day with a fishing tournament and get-together on September 11, 2011 (l-r) Clayton Silva, retired Business Agent Jesus Guirao, and retired Division Director Clayton Dela Cruz.