Worker rights and benefits

• Support protection and enforcement of the “presumption clause” in the Workers’ Compensation Law to fulfill its original intent to provide compensation and medical treatment to workers injured on the job.

Oppose any legislation or rule-making that seeks to diminish the rights of injured workers, reduce workers’ compensation benefits, or take away eligibility for benefits to injured workers.

Establish a package of workers’ compensation benefit improvements in the interest of fairness to injured workers.

Primary and secondary education

• Support the existing statewide school system that ensures equalization of opportunity in education, especially for rural Oahu and the neighbor islands. 

• Oppose school voucher programs.

 • Support implementation of incentives (including teacher housing) to reduce teacher turnover in rural areas. 

• Support programs for drug awareness, teen pregnancy prevention, family crisis intervention, etc. in the public schools and the community. 

MAKAWAO—Fairmont Orchid, representing Hawaii Division, beat Team Kauai, representing Kauai Division to win the ILWU 33rd Annual State Basketball Tournament. The tournament was hosted by Maui Division and played at the Eddie Tam Memorial Center on Saturday, December 14, 2013.

Several elected officials attended the dedication of Ah Quon McElrath’s plaque at the Wisteria Vista Senior Apartments, including U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, Senate Committee on Economic Development, Government and Housing Chair Donovan Dela Cruz, State House Committee on Housing Chair Mark Hashem, and Representative Marcus Oshiro.