President Obama’s economic recovery program will help working people in many ways.

Many ILWU members pay little attention to the sick leave benefits provided by their union negotiated contract. They get sick, and they get paid sick leave benefits. When they get well, they return to work. Most members know they earn a certain number of sick days every year, and unused sick leave may be “banked” or accumulated and used in the future if needed.

Consider yourself lucky, because half of the blue collar workers like yourself in private industry do not have paid sick leave benefits.

One out of every three American workers do not have paid sick leave. This is a little over 50 million workers. If these workers get sick and stay home, they receive no pay.

Many will continue to work when they’re sick, and spread their illness to fellow workers and customers.

Are you a tipping category hotel worker? Do you want to increase your tipping income by 10 to 30 percent? 

Yes? Then read Michael Lynn’s “Mega Tips: Scientifically Tested Techniques to Increase Your Tips.” Lynn explains 14 methods that are proven to increase your tips.

 Prof. Lynn’s has given us permission to reprint a few of his tips in each issue of the Voice of the ILWU.

To encourage more membership attendance, Oahu Division has turned their monthly executive board meetings into an event that features a productive meeting, education, food, and fellowship.

The evening starts at 6:00 pm every fourth Friday with dinner, which is hosted by a different unit each month. The March meeting will be hosted by the Hawaii Logistics unit, the April meeting will be hosted by the Love’s Bakery unit, the May meeting by the Pepsi unit, and so on.

Unit Chairpersons recognized for outstanding service in 2008 were Francis Kamakaokalani of Unit 2406 - Ameron (left) and Flora Vila of Unit 2509 - Four Seasons Lanai Resort (right).

From the very beginning, the ILWU has always proclaimed that the union and every union member must be actively involved in the political life of the community. Political action had to be one of the primary activities of the union. Political action was just as important as negotiating contracts for better wages and benefits; and political action was just as necessary as organizing new workers into the union.

There are five reasons why the union and every ILWU member must be involved in political action.

Union members earn higher wages

In 2009, among full-time wage and salary workers, union members earned a median weekly wage of $908, while workers who were not represented by unions earned only $710 a week.

In 2009, among full-time wage and salary workers, union members earned a median weekly wage of $908, while workers who were not represented by unions earned only $710 a week.

A very important benefit of union membership goes far beyond your job. You are now a member of a workers’ organization—dedicated to defend your interests as a worker and to promote the general welfare of you and your family.

This is spelled out in the ILWU Declaration of Principles:

“An injury to one is an injury to all”—this slogan is used at many ILWU activities. This means we stand together as workers.

As a member of the ILWU, you belong to an organization with a long and proud history in Hawaii, the West Coast, and Canada. The ILWU is respected and admired within the labor movement in the US and around the world. Community and political leaders appreciate how the ILWU improved the lives of the entire community. Employers respect the ILWU as a strong, yet reasonable union.