Americans are beginning to dump our throw-away economy. Curbside recycling is now available in most west coast communities and more than 9,000 cities across America. It’s helping to divert one-third of our waste that used to be burned or buried.

Recycling is also good because it conserves raw materials and saves money for local governments. And it reduces greenhouse gases that cause global climate change.

First of all, the Voice of the ILWU is the official newspaper of the ILWU Local 142. You are receiving the newspaper because you are now a member of the ILWU. As a member of ILWU Local 142, you are part of a long and proud tradition where workers join or form organizations for their mutual benefit and to promote fairness and justice on the job. These organizations are called labor unions, trade unions, or just unions.

Believe it or not, most workers organize into unions because of bad working conditions and poor treatment by management and not for higher wages and benefits. When workers are organized into unions, they gain the power to change their working conditions and demand respect and fair treatment from management.

“Units” are what we call the ILWU organization at your workplace. This means that sometime in the past, the workers at your company organized and a majority voted to unionize with the ILWU. The workers then negotiated a collective bargaining agreement (also called union contract) with your employer which puts in writing your wages, benefits, working conditions, and rights on the job.

The five-year agreement covers 52 members who now belong to ILWU Local 142, Oahu Division. The contract calls for a 4.5 percent wage increase upon ratification and a wage increase of 1.5 percent-1.75 percent each year thereafter, for a total pay raise of 10.5 percent-11.5 percent over the life of the contract.

The new agreement provides an invaluable benefit—job security. It will protect the workers against arbitrary discipline or firing by establishing just cause for any disciplinary action the company may initiate.

State Champions – Pepsi Beverages Co. (Back row, from left): Maurice “Moe” Johnson, Jason Haskell, Daniel Zane, Tyler Maldonado, Lekeli Watanabe. (Front row, from left): Gaylen Teraoka, Leo Manayan, Brad Guillermo, and Corey Shippy.

If you want more information about your union or union contract; if you have a problem on the job; if you want to become more involved with your union, the first person you should talk with is your union steward or Unit officer.

Unit officers and stewards are elected by the members of your unit to help their fellow union members on the job. They serve as volunteers and receive no extra pay or special privileges. Their names should be posted on the union bulletin board.

HC&S Company members (from left) Business Agent Joe Aquino, Wesley Bissen, Kelly Ruidas, Chair Daniel Martinez, Zenaida Andaya, Ben Wilson, Merlita Crespin, Rodney Medeiros, Conchita DeCambra, and Francis Martin, accepting the Outstanding Unit Award (501 or more members) from their Business Agent Steven Lee. Ruidas also received recognition as Outstanding Unit Leadership (male).

Brothers and Sisters, I want to begin by wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year. I hope you enjoyed some well-deserved time with family and friends over the holidays. I also want to thank the many ILWU members who donated holiday toys to children from families facing hard times.

The top executive officers of ILWU Local 142 are the president, the vice president, and the secretary-treasurer. They serve the same three year terms as business agents from January 4, 2016, to December 31, 2018. In addition to their individual duties, the officers work collectively as a threeperson team called the “Titled Officers.” Together they direct and coordinate the work and programs of the union. They work out of the Honolulu Office.