The Servco negotiating committee. Front L-R: Belinda Ayson, Neill Amasaki, Paris Fernandez, Grant Kawamoto, Jeffrey Higa. Back L-R: Darren Iguchi, Dural Duenas, Daven Tong, Randall Tenn.
HONOLULU — On April 30, 2018, members of Unit 4412 Servco Pacific gathered at the Local union for their contract ratification.
America’s animal care industry was once dominated by independent veterinarians and support staff. Now the vet industry is being transformed by powerful corporations and Wall Street investors — posing new challenges for both workers and pet owners.
Making history
On April 4th and 5th, a group of 95 workers at VCA-San Francisco Veterinary Specialists (SFVS) made history by becoming the first large group of private-sector veterinary workers in America to form their own union and affiliate with the ILWU.
L-R: Alanna Kuhn, Charles Chung, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Business Agent Wil Chang, Carissa Brown from Unit 4526 Alohilani Resort.
A showdown took place at the US Supreme Court on February 26 where union advocates squared off against anti-union lawyers funded by big business.
KAHULUI — On March 27, 2018 Maui Division members and pensioners sign-waved for Colleen Hanabusa and and attended the blessing of her new Maui campaign headquarters. To get involved reach out to Emmanuel “Manny” Baltazar, the PAC chair on Maui (Unit 2520 Grand Wailea).
The entire week of classes ended on Friday February 2, 2018. Members stuck to a rigorous schedule with core workshops in the morning and workshops in the afternoon, and even evening plenary sessions some nights. As a final moment together, they spontaneously started to sing moving labor songs and Hawaii Aloha to honor their time together and remember the importance of solidarity.
Instructor Stephen Lerner wears his ILWU shirt with pride as instructor Marilyn Sneiderman holds his jacket.
Classes in session
Every member participated in one “core class,” a class that met every day in the morning for the entire week. In the afternoon, members could choose between workshops that changed daily.
Members left the Labor Institute week on a high, but the real test of the success of these events lies in the aftermath. Will the enthusiasm from the classes and camaraderie be hard to sustain in the day-to-day at the workplace?
Our members did not disappoint. They are applying the ideas they learned at the institute and show here that they have ingenuity to spare and passion to share.
Our union braddahs from Budweiser
Todd Sismar and Robert “Bobby” Hew-Len are from a freshly unionized unit -- Unit 4404 Anheuser-Busch Sales of Hawaii.
Ready, set, VOTE!
If you have participated in Local elections in the past, you may remember on-site voting, where members would vote at their worksite.
This year, the union is using mail balloting instead. This method will increase members’ access to voting because they can vote by mail any time, any day, and any place.