“The alliance between the ILWU and the Panama Canal Pilots is one of the most strategic in the world,” Vice President (Mainland) Ray Familathe said. “This is one of the most positive things to happen in our union for years. Please welcome the Panama Canal Pilots to the ILWU family.”
Fred Lee passed away unexpectedly on May 20, 2012. He was 85 years old. He retired in 1989 as the ILWU’s Contract Administrator for 20 years. In retirement, Fred served on the Board of the ILWU Memorial Association and was active in the ILWU pensioner program and political action program, representing Oahu pensioners on the Local PAC. Fred was known for being a hard-hitting negotiator, a nononsense contract administrator, and an experienced educator, but he is best known for his colorful language and his deep and abiding loyalty to the ILWU.
Frankie DeCosta passed away on June 10, 2012 at the age of 84. He was a longtime member of the ILWU at Kekaha Sugar Company and was heavily involved in the Union, his community, and the Democratic Party. He was a rascal, a charmer, and a strong ILWU member to the end. Clayton Dela Cruz, retired Kauai Division Director, gave the following eulogy at Frankie’s service.
—PROCEDURES—
NOMINATION—September 1-15, 2012
Nomination Petitions (ILWU-E-Form 14) signed by 25 members in good standing must be submitted to the Local Secretary-Treasurer between September 1 and September 15, 2012, inclusive. The Local President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and members of the Local Executive Board At-Large from the Industrial Groupings shall be nominated from the floor at the Local Convention.
A press conference was held on April 26, 2012 at the ILWU Local 142 headquarters, to announce the endorsement of Kirk Caldwell for Honolulu Mayor. Caldwell is endorsed by the ILWU and a majority of labor unions because of his commitment to the working families of Honolulu.
Likely voters perhaps do have more time to get out and vote. It might be likelier for them to be able to step out of their workday to perform their civic duty. They have the luxury of perceiving voting as a duty, because their life enables them to.
Are you a new employee, hired within the last twelve months? If so, this issue of the Voice of the ILWU was prepared especially for you. As a union member, you are entitled to many rights and benefits and some responsibilities. This issue will help get you started with the essential information you need as a member of the ILWU. (Even longtime members may find the information useful.) First of all, the Voice of the ILWU is the official newspaper of the ILWU Local 142. You are receiving the newspaper because you are now a member of the ILWU.
In today’s political discourse, the argument of “trickle-down economics” reigns within the Republican Party as a way to protect the top-bracket tax breaks of the richest Americans. The GOP has successfully argued for many years that this will then improve the standard of living for the working class. The idea is that jobs will be created, wages will be raised for the average worker and there will be an overall upturn in our economy. As it turns out, it’s not only a bad idea but also a tactic to broaden income inequality.
Believe it or not, most workers organize into unions because of bad working conditions and poor treatment by management and not for higher wages and benefits. When workers are organized into unions, they gain the power to change their working conditions and demand respect and fair treatment from management.
Your union contract is a written agreement with your employer. It defines your wages, benefits, conditions of employment, and rights on the job. It is enforceable through a grievance procedure and ultimately in a court of law.
Most union contracts are renegotiated every three years, although some contracts run for only one year and others run for as long as six years. How long the contract runs is up to you and your negotiating committee. The ILWU is a democratic union and members are involved in every step of the negotiation process.