Late 2006 is the target date set by the Hawaii Superferry company to begin operating an inter-island passenger and freight ferry service with the first of two high-speed, giant catamarans. The twin-hulled catamarans are as long as a football field and will have the capacity to carry 900 passengers and 285 cars (or 20 trucks and 65 cars). Travel time between Honolulu and Maui or Kauai would be about three hours and 4-5 hours from Honolulu to Kona.

Back in the day, locally owned coffee companies lined the streets facing San Francisco’s waterfront. Longshore Local 10 members literally rolled sacks of beans across the street for roasting and shipping by warehouse Local 6 members. 

Now just one of those local coffee companies remains, and it has moved to Oakland.

Light manufacturing has gone the way of coffee and the Warehouse Division has hemorrhaged members up and down the Coast. Longshore work has changed as well, though membership has held steady.

WAHIAWA—The parking lot is spacious—and needs to be—to accommodate the constant flow of excited visitors to Dole Plantation. The first thing you see is a beautifully landscaped slope leading up to the large main building, the word “Dole” spelled out in colorful foliage against the green lawn. ILWU members are responsible for maintaining all of the grounds at Dole Plantation.

Students of Maui’s King Kekaulike High School will soon be getting the inside scoop on what it’s like to work as a business agent for a union. Maui ILWU division director William Kennison is scheduled to speak to the students as part of the school’s career day program this semester.

HONOLULU—Beginning in 2004, there will be a huge change in the elected leadership of Local 142. As the result of the union-wide elections held in November 2003, close to half or 13 of the 27 elected full-time offices of the union will be filled by a new person.

HONOLULU—Representatives from five Sack ’N Save stores met on December 16 and 17, 2003, to put together a state-wide package of proposals which will define the union’s bargaining position in contract talks with management next year. The current contract covering over 230 members expires in March 2004. Sack ’N Save is part of the Foodland Super Market Ltd. chain of grocery stores. The ILWU also represents workers at Foodland Stores.

• Act 87 was successfully repealed. For the Union, there was concern that Act 87 would interfere with the handling of certain grievances and even workers’ compensation cases. 

• The minimum wage to $5.75 effective January 1, 2002 and $6.25 effective January 1, 2004, with no increase in the tip credit, passed. 

• The notice period for the Hawaii Dislocated Workers Act was increased from 45 days to 60 days. 

The ILWU Local 142 faced a tremendous job in the 2002 elections. The Governor and Lt. Governor seats were being vacated, there were mayoral races on Kauai and Maui, all of the Senate seats were up for election, and the death of our good friend, Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink, resulted in two special elections.

Kaanapali, MAUI—The 50th annual ILWU Golf Tournament was played on Saturday and Sunday, August 30 and 31, 2004 at the Kaanapali Golf Courses, which are beautifully maintained by ILWU workers at Unit 2507. A total of 54 golfers spent two days enjoying the fine weather, good golf, and friendships of other ILWU members statewide and from the mainland U.S.

This year’s banquet was held at the Kanahele Room at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, where special entertainment included a dinner show by award-winning magician Jody Baran.