ILWU longshoreman and union organizer Joe “Blurr” Kealalio, actor, singer, and trade union activist Paul Robeson, and Ah Quon in 1948.

In December 2008, a number of Hawaii hotels were sued for not informing customers that management was keeping some of the service charge or gratuity fee automatically added to banquets and food and beverage functions.

Are you a tipping category hotel worker? Do you want to increase your tipping income by 10 to 30 percent?

Yes? Then read Michael Lynn’s “Mega Tips: Scientifically Tested Techniques to Increase Your Tips.” Lynn explains 14 methods that are proven to increase your tips. Prof. Lynn’s has given us permission to reprint his tips in the Voice of the ILWU. In the Nov-Dec 2008 issue we printed Tip #7 - Repeat Customers’s Order and #11 Smile.

Newly organized ILWU members of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo approved a new contract. The 95-bed facility provides long-term care to eligible US veterans. It opened in 2007 and is the first veterans home to be built in Hawaii. (L-r) BJ Greig, Rachel Segawa, Business Agent Isaac Fiesta Jr., and organizer Raynette Filoteo.

A historic solidarity agreement between the two unions that represent most of Hawaii hotel workers will give the unions more power and leverage in negotiating fair labor agreements with the major corporations that now dominate

Democrats and union-endorsed candidates did very well in Hawaii’s November 2 General Election. Democrats won all of the most important races—the governor’s race, the three congressional races, and 13 state senate seats, including one seat that was held by a Republican. In the Hawaii State Senate there is now only one Republican, along with 24 Democrats.

In the 51-member Hawaii State House, Republicans picked up two seats and now have eight members in the House, while Democrats won election to 43 seats.

If you repeat a lie often enough, some people will begin to believe the lie is true.

Republican and Conservative propaganda in the media want you to believe that the Obama Administration and the Democratic majority has done nothing to help working families in the last two years.

Division Directors Richard Baker and Michael Machado led a discussion at the Tourism Caucus on September 27- 28, 2010 on mobilizing members and preparing for negotiations.

In an earlier session, Division Directors William Kennison and Dave Mori talked about how the union should never give the company any concessions without getting something in return.

Tourism caucus attendees filled out a survey which asked six questions about how they thought the workers at their hotels felt about the union and management.

They were asked to rank those feelings on a scale of one to nine. A score of 1 was “Very negative,” 3 was “Negative,” 5 was “Neutral,” 7 was “Positive,” and 9 was “Very Positive.”

The same survey was done at the Tourism Conference held in 2006, which allows us to see how workers’ attitudes and feelings have changed over the last four years.

In 2009, Hilton Worldwide ranked as the third largest hotel chain in the U.S. based on the number of guest rooms. This is according to the annual survey of the Top U.S. Hotel Companies conducted by Hotel & Motel Management.

The Wyndham Hotel Group held the number one spot with 464,660 rooms and 5,968 US properties. Marriott International held second place.