In late August, I sent a letter to President Richard Trumka that explained why we were discontinuing our membership in the national AFL-CIO. I encourage you to read my letter so you can understand why I made this difficult decision. We took this action after delegates to the 2012 ILWU International Convention authorized us to leave the AFL-CIO—if and when the ILWU International President felt it was in the best interest of the union to do so. Our longstanding commitment to solidarity—helping workers who need a hand—will continue

House Bill 634—also known as the “worker retention” bill—was held in Conference Committee this past legislative session. Although it did not pass this year, the bill is still alive and can be revisited in the 2014 session. The ILWU will again push for passage of the bill because “worker retention” is good for the community, good for workers, and good for business.

What is the Hawaii Health Connector? 
The Hawaii Health Connector is an exchange established by the State to serve as a “marketplace” for individuals and families, and even small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, to connect with health insurance. These exchanges are being set up for each state as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as the Affordable Care Act and “Obamacare”), which was passed in 2010 to address the growing crisis of uninsured in this country. 

HONOLULU—Seven pensioners of Murphy-Aloha Motors met at the ILWU Hall at 451 Atkinson Drive in Honolulu on September 26, 2013, to exchange the latest news among themselves and reminisce. The camaraderie that they shared at the worksite has gotten stronger as they have gathered every month for the last twenty-eight years.

Murphy-Aloha Motors was a Chevrolet and Oldsmobile dealership located at the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Atkinson Drive, now the site of the Hawaii Convention Center. Murphy-Aloha Motors went out of business in 1985.

KONA—Hawaii Stevedores, representing the Longshore Division, beat Team Kauai, Kauai Division’s all-star team to win the ILWU 28th Annual Slow-Pitch Softball Tournament. The tournament was hosted by the Hawaii Division and played at the Kona Old Airport Ball Park on Saturday, September 28, 2013.

The first semi-final game, between Hawaii Stevedores and Hawaii Division’s Fairmont Orchid started off with a bang and continued for seven innings. The 21 runs that Fairmont Orchid scored was not enough as Hawaii Stevedores scored 25 in the slugfest.

HONOLULU—The Straub Clinic & Hospital ILWU negotiating committee met on October 4, 2013, at the ILWU Hall on Atkinson Drive in Honolulu to review and check the new contract for any errors before sending it for signature by the union and the company. The union committee makes sure the new contract correctly contains all the agreements made during negotiations and no other section of the contract has been omitted or altered.

HONOLULU—A statewide caucus of Foodland Super Market Ltd. delegates was held in Honolulu on August 1-2, 2013.

Michael Machado 
Division Director

Michael Machado was hired at the Princeville Development Corporation in 1976 as a maintenance first class worker. Michael served as unit chair, vice chair, editor and organizer from 1977 to 1989. Michael was elected as a business agent in 1989 to 2009.

The Longshore Division Coast Committee, ILWU International officers, and Longshore Legislative Action Committee members and Pensioners gathered on May 20-24 for the union’s 2013 Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

The goal was to convey the concerns of Longshore Division members to Congress in more than 50 meetings that were scheduled on Capitol Hill during the fourday event.

What lies ahead?

An economic recession is a period of decline in total output, income, and employment in a business cycle. Recessions are caused by a decline in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which causes a slowdown in manufacturing orders, falling housing prices and sales, and a drop-off in business investment. The result of this slowdown is a rise in unemployment, which causes a slowdown in consumer spending.