“The alliance between the ILWU and the Panama Canal Pilots is one of the most strategic in the world,” Vice President (Mainland) Ray Familathe said. “This is one of the most positive things to happen in our union for years. Please welcome the Panama Canal Pilots to the ILWU family.”
For over fifty years the ILWU and Zenkowan have signed a solidarity and friendship agreement at either the ILWU or Zenkowan convention. President McEllrath, Vice President Furtado, and President Itoh signed the Solidarity and Friendship agreement.
International Vice President (Hawaii), Wesley Furtado has a laugh with Executive Secretary and Office Manager, Linda Kuhn following the discussion of Resolution R-42: Linda Kuhn. After 47 years of service to the ILWU rank-and-file, Linda is retiring later this year. She will be missed by all the lives she has touched both inside and outside the ILWU family.
Constitutional Amendments
C-1 Convention Locations - updates the rotation of the Convention to seven areas of the ILWU: Hawaii - 2015; Oregon/ Columbia River Area - 2018; Northern California Area- 2021, ILWU Canada - 2024; Washington/Puget Sound/Alaska - 2027; Southern California Area - 2030.
C-2 IEB Representation By Panama Canal Pilots - The Panama Canal Division shall compose an area and shall be entitled to one member of the International Executive Board.
C-3 Titled Officers’ Salaries - Updates titled officers salaries which is based on the average of the percentage increase in the base rate of pay in the ILWU’s three major industries—Longshore, Northern California Warehouse, and Local 142’s major hotel agreements.
C-4 IEB Representation to Maintain Existing Area Representation - The allocation of International Executive Board members will depend on the number of members within the area.
C-6 ILWU Logo - ILWU affiliates, pension clubs, auxiliaries, and district councils may use the ILWU logo for their own purposes. Use of the ILWU logo by any other entity is prohibited without the express written consent of the International Union.
C-10 Publish the Dispatcher in Spanish - With the Warehouse Division having a large number of members that are predominately Spanish speaking and the Panama Canal Pilots recently joining the ILWU, the International will look into the cost effectiveness of publishing the Dispatcher in Spanish.
C-11 Online Publication of the Dispatcher - The International will continue to publish the history of The Dispatcher from Volume 1, number 1, 1942 to Volume 62, number 11, 2003.
C-13 Maintain the IL“W”U - The IEB will discuss and ensure that so long as the Warehouse Division exists, it will continue to have voice and vote on the International Executive Board.
C-14 Federated Auxiliary - That Article XX of the ILWU International Constitution be amended to reflect the 2008 name change of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Federated Auxiliary
Political Action
R-4 Instructing Congress to Oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (T-PP) Free Trade Agreement - The ILWU goes on record in opposing the TPP Agreement, will work with other unions and community groups to mobilize for the upcoming round of TPP negotiations to take place in San Diego, July 2, 2012 and to call on Congress to oppose the agreement as well as other corporate friendly free trade schemes.
R-7 Retirement Security - The ILWU calls upon Congress and the Obama Administration to reject all proposals that undermine the existing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and instead to enact legislation eliminating the cap on earnings subject to Social Security tax, and strengthen these programs to enhance the security and quality of life of our millions of retirees and future retirees.
R-8 Amend the Civil Rights Act of 1991 under the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act - That during the 112th Congress, 2nd session that the ILWU go on record in support of H.R. 4275 Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act, sponsored by Congressman Jim McDermott, D-WA to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1991 with respect to the application of such Act.
R-14 Keep Our Country Moving Forward - Mobilize for the 2012 Elections - ILWU locals will work aggressively to ensure ILWU members and their families are registered to vote and support union-endorsed candidates. ILWU members are urged to communicate with lawmakers and candidates for office, demanding action on the critical issues of the day, and demanding opposition to the anti-worker corporate agenda.
R-15 Support for Hawaii Longshore - Stand with the Hawaii Longshore Division in recognizing inaction or a delay of improving trade-related infrastructure would result in potential losses to Hawaii’s GDP by $60 billion within 20 years.
R-21 End Corporate Constitutional Rights - Include in Federal and State legislative programs support for a Constitutional Amendment and other legislative actions ensuring that only human beings, not corporations, are endowed with constitutional rights and that money is not speech, and therefore regulating the expenditure of corporate money to influence the electoral process is no longer a form of constitutionally protected speech.
R-22 Oppose Privatization - Oppose efforts to privatize our public resources by endorsing campaigns and coalitions dedicated to opposing privatization at the local, state and federal level.
R-23 Support Americas Cabotage Laws - Reaffirm support of America’s cabotage laws and denounce the efforts to circumvent the intent of the Jones Act with waivers, or repeal those laws as contrary to the interests of American workers.
R-24 Dream Act - The ILWU do all in its power to lobby Congress in passing whichever legislation has the best possibility of passage during the 2nd session of the112th Congress.
R-26 SB 1243 Marine Fuel Exemption Bill - Support SB 1243 that protects California jobs and keeps California ports competitive by making permanent a partial sales tax exemption on the purchase of marine fuel.
R-28 Opposition to the Koch Brothers War on Organized Labor - Fight against Citizen’s United and other anti-union legislation proposed by the Koch brothers, as well as support our Georgia-Pacific Warehouse contract coming up in 2014.
R-31 ILWU Political Action Fund - Members be encouraged to be politically active on behalf of pro-worker candidates, and be encouraged to donate to the Political Action Fund (PAF), and those donations receive recognition within the ILWU.
R-32 Presidential Endorsement 2012 - Endorse President Obama for re-election in 2012.
R-38 Support the Ratification of the International Labor Organization’s Maritime Labor Convention - ILWU goes on record as supporting the ratification of the MLC by the United States and use its influence in our nation’s capital to pressure our elected leaders to ratify the MLC as soon as possible.
R-39 Support the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) - ILWU directs its D.C. office to take action on this endorsement and strive to get PAWA passed.
Organizing
R-12 Organizing the General Trades in Hawaii - Support organizing beyond traditional boundaries to bring the benefits of unionism to workers in all industries.
R-19 Mainland Organizing - Invest significant resources, financial and manpower, to insure our survival as a union and members future.
R-30 Internal Organizing and Continuing Member Education - Through the Education Committee and Education Budget, investigate and strive to make available the labor education programs within our jurisdictions to make their resources available to our rank-n-file members including curriculum that could be tailored to the individual needs of our locals.
R-40 Organizing Security Guards in Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Area - ILWU engages in every and all means possible to bring security guards at the identified terminals under the umbrella of the Local 26 and to include the ILWU Watchmen’s Agreement with the PMA 2008-2014.
Health Care
R-5 Supporting Single-Payer Healthcare Coverage for all (Medicare for All) - ILWU pledges to advocate and promote enactment of state single-payer healthcare in the entire country, and to urge our legislators at the state and federal level to facilitate this goal.
R-6 Opposing the Elimination of Medicare and Medicaid - The ILWU refuses to support any Democrats who collude with the Republican goal of eliminating or privatizing Medicare or Medicaid and demands that Medicare and Medicaid be adequately funded until such time as single payer health insurance eliminates their need.
R-11 Support of the Patient Protection Act and Affordable Care Act - Supports the Act, including the shared responsibility and for ILWU locals and their members to become educated about the Act, as well as, urge their congress to support it. Helping our Brothers and Sisters
R-2 Support the Alaska Longshore Division in their Efforts to Renew the 2008 - 2012 All Alaska Longshore Agreement - support the Alaska Longshore Division in their effort to renew the Agreement, maintaining the industry standard and securing fair wages and benefits for their members.
R-10 International Solidarity for Pacific Beach Hotel Workers - All ILWU locals and their members pledge to continue the boycott of Pacific Beach Hotel until ILWU members there win justice and a fair contract.
R-13 Support Agriculture Workers - International Longshore and Warehouse Union supports the continuation of sugar, pineapple, coffee, macadamia, and other agricultural production in Hawaii and pledges to maintain them as viable industries.
R-16 Support ILWU Tourism Workers Negotiating for Fair Contracts - Stand in solidarity with the brothers and sisters in these hotels and when visiting Hawaii to use the ILWU Restaurant Guide to patronize the restaurants our brothers and sisters serve.
R-17 Support Local 200 Unit 2201 Healthcare Contract Negotiations - Support Local 200, Unit 2201 Healthcare in their upcoming contract negotiations in 2013-2014 and the International provide the tools so Unit 2201 can find another negotiator.
R-20 Support Rite Aid Workers Again - Support the Local 26 members’ struggle with Rite Aid to achieve a fair and just workplace under a union contract.
R-25 Support the IBU WestoilMillenium Maritime Negotiations - The Organizing Department, and its locals continue to support the Inlandboatmen’s Union during this struggle.
R-27 Opposition to Manning Reductions at the Washington State Ferries - Support the mariners working in the fleet of the Washington State Ferries in their fight to maintain safe manning levels on their vessels.
R-33 Support of the ILWU Local 56 Ship Scalers - Locals will report to Local 56 when they observe any of the aforementioned environmental companies are in Local 56 jurisdiction, from San Diego county line to San Francisco Bay County line.
R-35 Support ILWU Aramark Food Service Workers Negotiating for a Fair Contract - Stand in solidarity with Local 5 Aramark unit and, if called upon, provide assistance in contract negotiations so that the local 5 members of the Aramark unit can have a just and fair contract.
R-36 Justice for Golden Gate Ferry Terminal Assistants - ILWU goes on record condemning the Golden Gate Bridge district for their strike breaking activities and address the inequity of the terminal assistants wages.
R-37 Justice for Golden Gate Ferry Deckhands - ILWU goes on record condemning the Golden Gate Bridge District for their strike breaking activities and their refusal to negotiate honestly and protect the health and safety of the passengers and the crew.
Union Business & Traditions
R-1 Protecting Labors Legacy - to reaffirm the ILWU’s unwavering commitment to protecting and preserving the union’s historical record in the ILWU library and to continuing to make the resources of this extraordinary library available to the active and retired members of the ILWU.
R-18 Update Article III of the 10 Guiding Principles - Amend Article III of the Ten Guiding Principles to include the wording that states there shall be no discrimination due to sex, gender preference, or sexual orientation.
R-34 Digital Communications and Social Media - the ILWU will strive to take full advantage of all appropriate outlets of digital communications via social networking and online publishing in an effort to build and maintain improved and more easily accessed avenues of communication within the ILWU family and the world at large.
Farewells
R-42 Linda Kuhn - In honor and recognition of Linda Kuhn and her nearly 5 decades of work for the ILWU and the Benefit Plans Office. She will be missed and the 35th Convention wishes Linda many years of health and happiness in her retirement.
In Memory of Avelino “Abba” Ramos
Avelino “Abba” Ramos, at 78 years, died in his sleep of Lewy Body Dementia on June 5, 2012 at Bali Bay Care Home in Richmond, CA. Abba dedicated his life to his family and to workers through his service with the ILWU in Hawaii and California. Abba graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1958 as one of the first children of sugar workers to do so. In 1962 he met and married Kimiyo Ramos, a music teacher and jazz singer from Nagano, Japan. They moved to Berkeley, CA in 1962. Abba retired in 1997 and was honored at the 30th International Convention in Honolulu for his lifetime of service to the ILWU in Resolution #R-13:
“Abba’s education about economic, social and racial injustice began in the 1930s on the sugar plantations of the Big Island. His dedication to the ILWU began as a student and a sugar worker in the 1940s. This led to his being hired in the late 1950s as the first ‘born in Hawaii’ organizer for the United Pacific Workers of Hawaii.
“Abba’s life took a turn towards the mainland in 1962 when he transferred to Local 6 in Oakland. He was first elected as shop steward and later as Business Agent, where he served until he was appointed International Representative for Northern California in 1984. Abba played a central role in the ILWU’s participation in the formation of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. He is always ‘on the clock’ as an organizer, spreading the word about the benefits of unionization and ILWU membership to the unorganized.
“Throughout his life Abba has been actively involved in the fight for justice in the Filipino community, the Philippines, and in every community in which he lived and worked. He has repeatedly shared his experience and knowledge about the labor movement, international solidarity and community activism with young people in schools, writers and historians.”
Abba was preceded in death by his wife, Kimiyo Ramos. He is survived by his children: Renee Yamagishi of Berkeley, CA, Ramona Ramos of Charlotte NC, Marcelino Ramos of Goodyear, AZ and Anna McKenzie of Hercules, CA. Grandchildren: Antonio Ramos, Irene Przywara, Joia DeVita, Brandon Ramos, Ariana Frazier, Tania Przywara, Kaimana DeVita, Pekelo McKenzie, Michio McKenzie and Angelino Ramos. Great Grandson: Antonio Ramos Jr and many more close family members.