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.

Pineapple industry caucus held Jan. 16

Pineapple caucus members from Dole Pineapple and Maui Land & Pineapple met on January 16 to discuss their upcoming contract negotiations. Seated: Samuel Ramirez, Harold Gouveia, Douglas Cabading, Mathew Rodrigues, and Avelino Martin. Standing: Oahu Division Director Dave Mori, Maui Business Agents Delbert DeRego and Teddy Espeleta, Oahu Business Agent Brandon Bajo-Daniels, Arnold Kalilikane, and Glenn E. Murayama.

Hapuna wins state basketball tourney

HONOLULU—The Hapuna Beach Hotel basketball team beat out ILWU champs from the Big Island, Mauna Lani, to make it to the state tournament—then blew away the competition from Kauai and Oahu to become the ILWU 2008 basketball champions on December 13. 

Hapuna beat Ball Corp. 46-27 in one semi-final, and Pepsi defeated Team Kauai 55-33 in the other. The consolation bracket saw Team Kauai edging past Ball Corp 40-38, and Hapuna beat Pepsi 46-40 for the championship.

The All Tournament Team members were: Alston Viernes, Brennen Pasco (Hapuna); David Zane (PepsiOahu); Felipe Aguiaho, Joel Green (Team Kauai); and Mike Monis (Ball Corp.) 

The tournament Most Valuable Player was Alston Viernes, and Brennen Pasco won the half-time Three-point Shooting Contest.

Thanks go out to Division Sports Coordinators Brian Tanaka and Larry Ruiz, Lance Kamada of the Honolulu Advertiser for volunteering as scorekeeper/statistician for the tournament, and Kenneth Ige of Servco Pacific Inc. for serving as scorekeeper/statistician for the Oahu Division regular season basketball.

Victory for mistreated mariners

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made by Local 142 longshore workers and from concerns expressed by members of the Masters, Mates, and Pilots Union who operate tugs needed to move the vessel.

After some negotiating, the company agreed to sign an ITF- approved union contract providing crewmembers with $1,000 in back pay, raises of 30%, and contract language prohibiting discrimination. Also included in the agreement were replenished medical supplies, better safety training, and a new stock of fresh fruit and vegetables. A Christmas tree, long sought by many crewmembers, was the deal-closer.

ILWU International Vice President for Hawaii, Wesley Furtado, feels that the groundwork for the victory came from last year’s training effort. “When Jeff came to Hawaii last March, he trained Tyrone Tahara, Warren Ditch, Brad Scott, Dennis Morton, and Sean Dacuycuy to respond to situations exactly like the Japan Tuna incident. All our local guys deserve credit for applying that training and succeeding on behalf of these Filipino seaman. This was the first opportunity for our guys to prove themselves, and they really stepped up.”

The exploitation of maritime workers, including crews of ships, is a longstanding problem, but Engels is confident that the Hawaii team can handle the next situation on their own. “It’s a great feeling that the ILWU and ITF now have teams in place that can help workers win some justice with solidarity and action.”