...organizing, leadership and sisterhood at the Summer Institute for Union Women 2017...read on inside!

Rank-and-file union women attended the Summer Institute for Union Women to learn and bring back knowledge to their units. “Without units there would be no union! We all need to understand the importance of the union,” said Noelani Rasmussen, Unit 1515 Fairmont Orchid Hawaii. Back row L-R: Lolohea Kava, Unit 2505 Westin Maui, Kat Miyamoto, Unit 4404 Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC, Shawna Rapoza, Unit 4209 Young Brothers, Corin Kekua Unit 4406 Star Advertiser, Melanie Watts, Unit 4202 Wharf Clerks, Rasmussen. Front row L-R: Leimomi Attwood, Unit 4208 Matson Clericals, Tristie Licoan, Hawaii Division Business Agent. Missing: Cherise Couch Unit 4405 Sack N Save Food

 Organizing brings big changes to Hawaii docks

The year 2016 was a time of unprecedented ILWU organizing activity on the docks of Hawaii.

A new Matson clerical unit was organized into Local 142, and ILWU Local 100 was granted a charter to create a home for four newly-organized units of longshore supervisors who came into the Union.

Workers in these new units met on their days off to develop contract demands and to elect five separate negotiating committees.

Contract talks began in late 2016 for the Matson clericals and supervisors at Hawaii  Stevedores, Inc. (“HSI”), Matson Facilities and Maintenance, and Young Brothers, Ltd. Negotiations for McCabe, Hamilton and Renny supervisors started this year.

Overcoming challenges 
International Vice President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado served as a spokesperson for each set of negotiations. “Negotiating a first collective bargaining agreement is tough,” stated Furtado.

“You’ve got 30-plus sections of contract language and economics to wrestle over with the employers.”

Of the 21 members elected to

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Members of HSI supervisors vote to ratify their contract. The unit voted unanimously to approve their first collective bargaining agreement.