Republicans opposed programs benefiting workers

The 2002 Legislature passed a number of good bills that bring real and substantial benefit to working families. However, a look at the voting records on five issues supported by the ILWU reveals a big difference in how Republicans and Democrats in the State Legislature look at these worker friendly programs.

The five issues were: Health Insurance Regulation; Wage and Hour Protection; Worker Retention; the Employment Training Fund; and Prepaid Health Law.

Four of these bills are described in the article on legislation important to workers on pages 2-3. The Prepaid Health issue was a proposed bill that would have increased the amount workers would be required to pay for health benefits. The ILWU urged legislators to vote against that bill.

As a group, House Republicans posted a failing score of only 6 percent in support of the five worker friendly positions. Fifteen Republican lawmakers voted the wrong way on all five labor bills for a score of “0.” Only one Republican scored 50%. Three Republicans scored between 25 and 20%.

As a group, House Democrats scored 96% right, with only one person scoring less then 80%— Representative Lei Ahu Isa scored 60%. It should be noted that Representative Ahu Isa announced she would be leaving the Democratic Party to join the Republicans. A solid majority of 27 Democratic House members voted 100 percent in support of these five labor positions.

The Senate

The Senate voted on four of the five bills, with a similar contrast between Republicans and Democrats. The three Republicans in the Senate—Slom, Hemmings, and Hogue—opposed all four labor bills for a score of 0.

As a group, Senate Democrats had a solid average score of 83 percent. Only five individuals scored poorly at 50% or less. A strong group of 13 Senators voted 100% in support of these labor bills.

The Whole Story

Voting records don’t always tell the whole story and can be misleading when it comes to assessing an individual legislator. Was the vote in unconditional support of the bill? Did that legislator help talk to colleagues and line up other votes? Or did it take a lot of lobbying and pressuring to get that vote? Some votes are the result of playing politics where votes are traded or a position changed for some other political reason.

However, the voting records on these bills show a substantial difference in the outlook and philosophy of Republicans and Democrats.