On October 5th, newly organized ILWU members were sworn into Local 63 as part of an on-going campaign to organize the superintendents in the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach. Superintendents from Pasha, Eagle Marine Services (Operations Center), California United Terminals and West Coast Terminal & Stevedore were sworn in by Local 63 President Paul Trani.

These members join Local 63 as part of the new Superintendents’ Unit. This was a historic victory for the ILWU. These are the first marine terminal superintendents to be represented by any union on the West Coast.

The answer is YES to all of these questions! Any time you become injured at work, it is a work injury and you should report it to your employer right away.

Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship looking for applicants!

The following is from Leah Bernstein, Director of Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship.

The fall 2017 semester was a milestone year for the Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship Fund (HBLSF) as it marked the first time HBLSF enjoyed a full complement of 40 students in the program!

KOLOA —Unit 3511 Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa ratified their four year contract on November 14-16, 2017. There are 740 members at the Hyatt in a whole range of departments from engineering to spa workers and culinary workers to housekeeping! All of their hard work keeps a five star hotel like the Grand Hyatt running smoothly with guests always coming back for more. Congratulations to the negotiating committee for balancing the needs and concerns of their unit and keeping open communication with management to ratify another contract. 

Congratulations to Team “No Shame Take Pity” L-R: Mike Asari, Alan Shinagawa, Craig Oshiro, Sharon Fujii, and Shanelle Fujii holding the perpetual trophy.

KONA —The 32nd Annual ILWU Statewide SlowPitch Softball Tournament was held on the Big Island at the Old Kona Airport on September 30, 2017. Teams from Kauai Division, Hawaii Division and Oahu Longshore participated and enjoyed the camaraderie and sportsmanship.

“We’re going to make the trophy so big it can’t leave the Big Island!” joked Hawaii Division Director Elmer Gorospe. Teams from Kauai and Hawaii hoped to dethrone last year’s champions from Oahu players from McCabe Hamilton & Renny.

The Halele`a Spa negotiating committee L-R: Hawaii Division Director Elmer Gorospe, Business Agent Calvin Corpuz, Timothy Johnson, secretary Rain Cruz, chair Juan Garcia-Neveu. “We saw so many smiles on people’s faces as we were explaining the contract,” said Cruz.

2018 is a big election year in Hawaii. Politics and unions have always gone hand in hand. Politicians could never get very far in elections without union endorsements. Union members provide invaluable support and manpower to the candidates’ campaigns, and not to mention contibute votes through our membership. With the upcoming election year, politicians have been appealing to ILWU members in hopes of the union’s favor.