Representatives Joe Souki, Tommy Waters, Della Belatti, Marcus Oshiro, Angus McKelvey, Hermina Morita, Marilyn Lee, Roy Takumi, Scott Nishimoto, Tom Brower, and Jon Riki Karamatsu joined the picketing of the Pacific Beach Hotel on May 2, 2008.

The ILWU International Executive Board endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President on February 28, concluding that he is “the best candidate for our union and for working families.”

Board members made their decision after an extensive process that involved interviewing the major campaigns and examining their positions on key issues that will impact ILWU members in the coming years. Republican Presidential candidates were not interviewed because they failed to address the key issues below, including:

Representative Marcus Oshiro, “This sign (Together We Stand) says it all. We are one community of workers. We’re one community of people and we need to come together and stand as one because the labor union right here benefits all of us.

If they can get a fair contract; if they can sit down and get a fair deal with the Pacific Beach Hotel, it will benefit all of us, all our communities and all the constituents will see the benefits. So I encourage all of you workers out there, work hard and we’ll do what we can to support your efforts.”

Jack Hall: His life and times

Few people in Hawaii know about Jack Hall, but a new video and a reissued book, will tell the story to a lot more people about this remarkable labor leader and the union he helped build, the ILWU.

A new edition of A Spark Is Struck! Jack Hall and the ILWU in Hawaii by journalist Sanford Zalburg has just been reissued by Watermark Publishing at the urging of ILWU Local 142. Long out of print, this epic account of the birth and growth of the ILWU in Hawaii is filled with anecdotes and details about Hall and our union. The new edition uses a larger type style and better photo reproduction than the original, greatly enhancing the quality and readability of the thick volume.

HILO—Hawaii Division recognized their outstanding units at their annual recognition night banquet on February 16, 2008. The best small unit award with 1-29 members went to Unit 1419- A&B Fleet Services. Unit 1412 - Yamada Diversified Corporation won the best mid-size unit award with 30-99 members.

Sugar and pineapple retirees from Olokele Sugar and Wailuku Agribusiness won a court settlement against C. Brewer which will give them $1.5 million dollars in compensation when the company terminated their life-time medical benefits. The ILWU took C. Brewer to court and paid the legal expenses as the case dragged on for over 18 months.

The ILWU negotiating committee members from both hotels worked hard on achieving a good settlement. From left to right: Nick Lopez, Pua Akamu, Paulsa Keeling, James Moeller, Syvell DeRego, Richard Baker Jr., Elmer Gorospe, Laine Ishikuro, Jonathan Botelho, Greg Gauthier and Frankie Pang.

Zenkowan, the All Japan Dockworkers Union, has voted to support the boycott of HTH Corporation’s Pacific Beach and Pagoda Hotel, because of the company’s unlawful opposition to their employees’ right to organize into the ILWU and negotiate a union contract

Late last year, some hangman’s nooses appeared on the docks. The response from the ILWU was clear: Symbols of hate will not be tolerated in this union, period. Local leaders, the International Executive Board, and Coast Committee all moved quickly to adopt strong statements that condemned symbols of hate. Meetings were held with the PMA to discuss what happened and take action to prevent future incidents.