This issue of the Voice of the ILWU is your official notice of the 2003 ILWU Local 142 Election. It contains the positions and candidates who will appear on the ballot and the dates, times and locations of voting for your unit. This issue also contains statements and photographs submitted by candidates.
Some of the candidate names may be slightly different from the names that will be on the final ballots, as the VOICE went to press before the deadline for candidates to change the appearance of their names on the ballots.
The dates, times and locations of voting for your unit are listed separately by division—Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and Oahu—and sorted by unit number. Look up your unit number or company name and take note of the dates, times, and locations indicated for your unit.
For most members, THERE WILL BE NO OTHER OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THIS ELECTION. Some units may post this notice on their union bulletin boards, but this is not required for all units. In a few cases, where there is an error or change in
this notice, members may receive an updated notice in the mail. However, for all other members, this will be your only notice of this election.
Candidate statements
All candidates in the upcoming ILWU Local 142 elections had the equal opportunity to submit a photograph and statement which would be printed in this issue of the VOICE of nthe ILWU. The deadline for submission was 4:00 pm, October 7, 2003.
The statements were limited to 200 words and those statements longer than 200 words were cut to the last complete sentence.
Otherwise, the content of the statements are printed exactly as received, with no editing for spelling, punctuation, or grammar.
All attempts were made to preserve the physical appearance of the original statements—capitalized words, underlining, boldfacing, italicizing, and centering of text were maintained. However, all statements are printed with the same fonts and font size.
Some candidates did not submit a statement or photo. Their names are printed and we indicate that they did not submit a photo or statement by the deadline above.
New procedure
“Members want to know who they’re voting for.” This was a very common and widespread comment made by ILWU unit leaders as the union prepared for its regular election of union officers. In response, the Local 142 Elections Committee
proposed a change in the union’s election rules to provide for the publication of statements and pictures from candidates in the union’s newspaper, The Voice of the ILWU.
The Local Executive Board approved the proposed change at their September 2003 meeting. The Local Elections Committee is made up of one representative from each Division. The current members are Earl Totten from Oahu, Wilma Revilla from Hawaii, Claudia Theade from Kauai, and Star Medeiros from Maui.
Over 500 meet in 23rd ILWU Local 142 Convention
The 23rd Convention ran for five days from September 15-19, 2003, at the Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu. The theme of the Convention was “Defend Our Rights...Protect Our Union.” This theme reflects the need to defend our rights as workers
and as citizens, rights that are being undermined and attacked by the Bush Administration.
The Convention was attended by 407 delegates and observers, 47fraternal (mostly retirees) delegates, and 80 guests (many from the Mainland and Canada). Maui Division had the largest group with 146 delegates, followed by Oahu with 128
delegates, then Hawaii with 70, and Kauai with 44.
Convention delegates unanimously adopted a three-year budget that maintains existing services of the union with no increase in union dues.
Six amendments to the ILWU Constitution and By-Laws were adopted, which will take effect upon ratification.
The hardworking Convention also adopted 28 resolutions and approved recommendations to guide the work of the union in contract administration, membership services, political action, education and publicity. Many of the resolutions honored
retiring ILWU leaders, including Bo Lapenia, Robert Girald, and Roger Tacdol.
The following speakers addressed the Convention: Local 142 President Eusebio “Bo” Lapenia, Jr.; retired ILWU social worker Ah Quon McElrath; Ian Ruskin who acted the part of Harry Bridges; and David Gregory of the AFL-CIO. Senators
Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka and Congressman Neil Abercrombie provided video-taped messages.
The four International ILWU officers also addressed the Convention: President James Spinosa, Vice President (Mainland) Bob McEllrath, Vice President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado, and Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams. ILWU International
attorney Rob Remar also spoke about security issues affecting longshore.
On the last day of the Convention, the delegates nominated candidates for the three titled officers and the industrial grouping representatives to the Local Executive Board. The next Convention will be in September 2006.
Actions and policies adopted by the Convention must be approved by the ILWU membership. Meetings to report on the work of the Convention and to ratify the Convention actions will be scheduled in the coming months.