Representatives Joe Souki, Tommy Waters, Della Belatti, Marcus Oshiro, Angus McKelvey, Hermina Morita, Marilyn Lee, Roy Takumi, Scott Nishimoto, Tom Brower, and Jon Riki Karamatsu joined the picketing of the Pacific Beach Hotel on May 2, 2008.

The ILWU International Executive Board endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President on February 28, concluding that he is “the best candidate for our union and for working families.”

Board members made their decision after an extensive process that involved interviewing the major campaigns and examining their positions on key issues that will impact ILWU members in the coming years. Republican Presidential candidates were not interviewed because they failed to address the key issues below, including:

Representative Marcus Oshiro, “This sign (Together We Stand) says it all. We are one community of workers. We’re one community of people and we need to come together and stand as one because the labor union right here benefits all of us.

If they can get a fair contract; if they can sit down and get a fair deal with the Pacific Beach Hotel, it will benefit all of us, all our communities and all the constituents will see the benefits. So I encourage all of you workers out there, work hard and we’ll do what we can to support your efforts.”

Jack Hall: His life and times

Few people in Hawaii know about Jack Hall, but a new video and a reissued book, will tell the story to a lot more people about this remarkable labor leader and the union he helped build, the ILWU.

A new edition of A Spark Is Struck! Jack Hall and the ILWU in Hawaii by journalist Sanford Zalburg has just been reissued by Watermark Publishing at the urging of ILWU Local 142. Long out of print, this epic account of the birth and growth of the ILWU in Hawaii is filled with anecdotes and details about Hall and our union. The new edition uses a larger type style and better photo reproduction than the original, greatly enhancing the quality and readability of the thick volume.

HILO—Hawaii Division recognized their outstanding units at their annual recognition night banquet on February 16, 2008. The best small unit award with 1-29 members went to Unit 1419- A&B Fleet Services. Unit 1412 - Yamada Diversified Corporation won the best mid-size unit award with 30-99 members.

Sugar and pineapple retirees from Olokele Sugar and Wailuku Agribusiness won a court settlement against C. Brewer which will give them $1.5 million dollars in compensation when the company terminated their life-time medical benefits. The ILWU took C. Brewer to court and paid the legal expenses as the case dragged on for over 18 months.

The ILWU negotiating committee members from both hotels worked hard on achieving a good settlement. From left to right: Nick Lopez, Pua Akamu, Paulsa Keeling, James Moeller, Syvell DeRego, Richard Baker Jr., Elmer Gorospe, Laine Ishikuro, Jonathan Botelho, Greg Gauthier and Frankie Pang.

Japanese visitors in Waikiki are urged to stay away from the Pacific Beach Hotel as Justice at the Beach supporters leaflet and demonstrate during the Golden Week holiday from April 29 to May 6, 2009.

Seattle, Washington will be the host city for the ILWU International Convention from June 8 to June 12, 2009. The Convention is the highest policy making body of the union and is held every three years, rotating through seven areas of the US and Canada where workers are organized by the ILWU.

Local 142 Hawaii will be sending about 120 delegates to the Seattle Convention. Local 142 is one of over 60 local unions, the Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific, and ILWU Canada which make up the International ILWU.