In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) that legalized the right of workers to form unions, negotiate contracts and conduct job actions. It also recognized the importance of “union shops” where all workers shared the cost of maintaining their union. The President made a point of signing the NLRA (also known as the Wagner Act) in the port city of Tacoma, on July 5. That date, recognized then and now as “Bloody Thursday,” honored waterfront workers killed during the West Coast waterfront strike that gave rise to today’s ILWU.

HONOLULU — Every year in January, ILWU Local 142 brings a delegation of members and pensioners from every division to the State Capitol on the first day the Legislature convenes or “Opening Day.” ILWU members work in nearly every industry, so one could easily say that the concerns of our members are the concerns of the whole state of Hawaii. On January 17, 2018, members from different units visited legislators from their communities to remind them that the choices they make impact working people everywhere.

HONOLULU — The 9th Labor Institute transformed the quiet halls on Atkinson Drive into a bright launching pad for the week of January 29 - February 2, 2018, thanks to the 136 members across all divisions who showed up to learn and grow as union leaders.

“Who thinks workers get a fair share of the profits they create?” asked instructor Stephen Lerner right off the bat.

“Who can just hear their boss saying, ‘I wish unions like ILWU would just disappear, so then I could do whatever I want!’?” continued Lerner.

LIHUE — On December 15, 2017, Kauai Division held its recognition night to honor members who promote union solidarity at the workplace. Here are this year’s winners:

Outstanding Unit Leaders 
Outstanding unit leader with 0-30 members: Bernard Almarza Unit 4402 Love’s Bakery.

Outstanding unit leader with 31-99 members: Ricky Brun Unit 3514 Hokuala Golf Club.

Outstanding unit leader with 100+ members: Kyle Cloos, an electrician at Unit 3401 Kauai Coffee Company.

“In a real sense, all life is interrelated. The agony of the poor impoverishes the rich; the betterment of the poor enriches the rich...Whatever affects one affects all.”

 -- Dr. King, Where Do We Go from Here? 1967

PAIA — On December 9, 2017 teams from Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island gathered on Maui for the 37th State Basketball Tournament. Maui Division hosted the tournament at Paia Gym and encouraged fun and sportsmanship.

Semi-finals 
The first semi-final game was between Oahu (Unit 4404 Pepsi Beverages Company) and Maui Longshore. Pepsi scored first, but Maui followed up in quick succession.

The final score resulted in 52 for Pepsi and 43 for Maui.

Pictured in the left-most photo is Hiva Takafua. Pictured at middle is Naome Ching and on the far right are pensioners Irinea Tanicala and Lydia Coloma. As over 30 people waved to passing cars at the company’s Maui Lani Parkway location, many cars honked in solidarity for our workers.

Los Angeles teachers won a carefully-organized six-day strike in January that will deliver smaller class sizes, more nurses and counselors, and greater accountability of private charter schools in the nation’s second largest school system.

HONOLULU — one vote cannot do much to influence the legislature, but the ILWU knows that there is strength in numbers and sticking together. Every legislator received a copy of the ILWU’s legislative priorities for 2019 before large delegations from all divisions descended on the State Capitol for Opening Day (the first day the Legislature convenes) on January 16, 2019.

HONOLULU — The ILWU Pensioner Conference happens every two years with a different host island. Over 70 pensioners from all divisions attended the conference from June 12-14, 2018 on Oahu at the Ala Moana Hotel. The pensioners have their own conference in addition to the larger Local Convention that also happens every three years because they paved the way for workers today to enjoy the benefits and job security so many take for granted.