Can you spare a few hours this week?
The November 2 General Election is only a few days away and we need to elect candidates who will work in the best interest of working families.

There’s a lot to do and we need your help.
Would you be willing to pass out voter reminder cards to members in your unit? Hold signs before or after work? Come to the union hall to stuff envelopes? Make phone calls to members? Spend a few hours on the weekend walking house to house? Help drive people to the polls or remind them to vote on election day?

This year’s main Labor Day event featured a march through Waikiki on September 1 instead of the usual concert at the Waikiki Shell. The march, sponsored by the Hawaii State Federation of Labor, brought 16 labor organizations and 11 com-
munity and political groups together to support the rights of immigrant workers. About 40 ILWU members and retirees participated in the march. 

The march also featured the Waipahu and Pearl City High School marching bands, taiko drummers, and Korean dancers.

Local organizer Bill Udani gives ILWU fans to bystanders on the march route. Printed on the back of the fan is information on the advantages of having a union and how to contact the ILWU’s organizing department.

The lastest unemployment figures—for the month of August 2003 came out—and economists were shooked. Everyone thought a few jobs would be created. But U.S. companies cut another 90,000 jobs in August. The job loss was in every industry sector and in every part of the country.

The Report of the Officers is a unique and important part of ILWU democracy. It reaffirms that the rank and file at this Convention make the policies that guide the work of this union. It reaffirms that the Titled Officers must take their direction from the membership.

In this report, the Local President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer review the major work, accomplishments, and shortcomings of our Union during the last three years.

Unlike our other groupings which are based on a single industry, our general trades grouping is made up of many different industries. Some of the larger industries within general trades are: Supermarkets (Foodland, Star Market, Sack ’n Save); Health Care; Macadamia Nut; Automotive; Construction related; Trucking; and Bakeries.

Politics must be our central focus for 2004—continued from page 5

war on March 20, 2003, without the approval of the United Nations, there was another deep drop in Japanese visitors to Hawaii and a smaller decline of West Coast visitors. Again, Waikiki and the Big Island were the hardest hit. 

Despite 9/11 and the Iraq War, we were able to negotiate fair contracts with most of our hotels. Hotel wage increases averaged 3.5% during this period.

Alfred Castillo (r), president of the Kauai Division Pensioner Council and the McBryde club, presents a prize to one of his fellow retirees.

As an organization, the ILWU sat on the bench in the primary election for governor. We had an “open endorsement” in that race which allows our members to vote for anyone they choose but prohibits the union and its leadership from publicly supporting any particular candidate.

Job security topped the list as the most important public policy issue for ILWU members, according to a survey of 122 unit leaders who attended training classes this year. The “Member to Member Survey” asked people to list the biggest concerns facing working families.