HONOLULU – The Hawaii Longshore Division Caucus was held at the ILWU hall on 451 Atkinson Drive on March 27-28, 2014. Unit 4201 (Longshore) and Unit 4209 Young Brothers met two additional days from March 31-April 1, to complete unfinished business. This was the first Hawaii Longshore Division Caucus and it was attended by 68 delegates and observers representing all the longshore units in the state. They included Longshore, Wharf Clerks, Maintenance, CY/CFS, Wharf Clerical, Young Brothers, and Bulk Sugar Units.

The ILWU Local Political Action Committee (PAC) in meetings held on December 12, 2013 and February 21, 2014 made the following early endorsements:

credit, but more importantly, on the time frame of implementation. The Senate’s version calls for annual raises to $10.00 to be completed by 2017, whereas the House’s version calls for the raises to be completed by 2018. The governor said “that it should be done ASAP, not five years from now.”

The governor went on to state, “your members have the faith and trust of you fellow workers to represent them. We must stand together or we’ll be picked off one by one as anti-union interests have plenty of money to offset union gains. The only way to defeat them is through solidarity.”

From the very beginning, the ILWU has always proclaimed that the union and every union member must be actively involved in the political life of the community. Political action had to be one of  the primary activities of the union. Political action was just as important as negotiating contracts for better wages and benefits; and political action was just as necessary  as organizing new workers into the union. There are five reasons why the  union and every ILWU member must be involved in political action.

(Above left) President Clyde Silva of The Pahala Pensioner Club, recruited the most new members in 2013, speaks in front of the five-member band “Makanau,” who provided the evening’s entertainment. (Above right) Mauna Kea Beach Hotel steward and emcee Tristie Licoan addresses the attendees.

Outstanding Unit, 1-29 members, Unit 1426-00 Big Island Federal Credit Union (l-r) Business Agent Francine Molina, Kevalle Lainaholo, Anuhea Chang, Kristine Gabriel , Tracy Branco, Pam Nachor, Jennifer Azevedo, Tricia Marie Ventura, Monica Hudman, Brenda Basque, Division Director Elmer Gorospe.

HONOLULU—ILWU members and retirees across the state are mourning the loss of a man who truly dedicated his life to building the union and serving its membership.

Retired ILWU Local 142 President Eddie E. Lapa, passed away on March 25, 2014. He is survived by his wife Emily T.; daughters Barbara Pennington, Pauline Lime, Angela L. Bugarin, Lucille Tashiro and Mary Lapa; 14 grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.

“One-to-one, worker-to-worker—that’s a big part of how we organize in the ILWU,” explained Wesley Furtado, International Vice President (Hawaii). This approach has worked for our Union over the years, including 2013 when over 500 new members were brought into Local 142 between September and November.

WAILUKU—The Grand Wailea ILWU negotiating committee met on January 3, 2014, at the ILWU Hall on 896 Lower Main Street in Wailuku 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 celebrated the Martin Luther King Day holiday with a parade through Waikiki and a rally at Kapiolani Park on Monday, January 20, 2014. ILWU Local 142’s Oahu Division again joined the march, which re-affirms the community’s commitment to social justice. In past years, ILWU participants held signs in support of workers at the Pacific Beach Hotel.