WAILEA, Maui—Another new owner but management’s the same—and so the fight for a fair wages and benefits continues for 900 ILWU members at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui. Since the super luxury hotel opened in 1991, it has changed ownership five times and management three times. The latest ownership change was in April 2004.
Conditions for the workers have also changed drastically. At one time, their ILWU contract gave them the highest wages and benefits in the industry, until owner number four—KSL Recreation—took over the property in 1998. KSL wanted to fire all the workers and bring in a new workforce at much lower wages and benefits.
The ILWU fought back with a campaign to “keep the workers working.” The union helped the workers build community and political support. Pressure was put on KSL’s parent company KKR (Kolhberg, Kravis, and Roberts). Grand Wailea workers held rallies and demonstrations.
First class hotel, second class wages
KSL finally agreed to give preference in hiring the former workers but continued to demand cuts in wages and benefits. The new owners wanted a first-class hotel but was only willing to pay second-class wages. It would take another 19 months of member mobilizing and hard bargaining by the ILWU to get an acceptable
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Ethanol bill would help sugar industry
HONOLULU—Four ILWU members gave testimony in committee hearings of the Hawaii State Legislature to urge lawmakers to support new legislation that would help the sugar industry survive in Hawaii. One proposed law would require that gasoline sold in the State be made of a blend of at least 10 percent ethanol. This would reduce Hawaii’s dependence on imported Ethanol bill would help sugar industry fossil fuels (gasoline and oil) by using ethanol which can be locally produced from sugar or molasses, a sugar by-product. A second bill gives companies a tax credit for capital investments in ethanol producing facilities.
If these laws are passed, Hawaii sugar companies would have a ready market for some of their sugar and molasses production.
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Save Poamoho Camp
HONOLULU—Over 300 people, mostly ILWU pineapple members, their families and retirees, living in 60 homes in Poamoho Camp in Central Oahu are in danger of being evicted and losing their homes by the end of June 2004. Poamoho is an old pineapple plantation camp run by Del Monte for its employees. The camp sits on 30 acres out of 2200 acres leased by Del Monte from the Galbraith estate.
In February, Del Monte informed Poamoho residents that the company will not be renewing its lease with the Galbraith Estate and all 300 residents must move out of their homes by the end of June. Del Monte plans to demolish the houses, remove pineapple from the rest of the 2200 acres, and return the land to Galbraith.
The notice caught the residents
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