WAILEA, Maui—Another new owner but management’s the same—and so the fight for a fair wages and benefits continues for 900 ILWU members at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui. Since the super luxury hotel opened in 1991, it has changed ownership five times and management three times. The latest ownership change was in April 2004.

A national budget is a statement about our values and priorities as a nation. On Feb. 3, 2004, President Bush presented his proposed budget to the U.S. Congress. It slashes programs to create jobs, to provide health care for Americans and to strengthen public education. Instead, Bush proposes to funnel money to the wealthiest of Americans and supports more “outsourcing” of American jobs.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration by $6.5 million. For the third year in a row, he is proposing to slash OSHA’s worker training and education programs, from $11.1 million to $4 million.

Medicare? Don’t count on it 
The Bush budget is most callous in its cut to health care for the nation’s impoverished. This year’s budget once again proposes to disperse Medicaid funds through block grant to the states. Under the proposal, states have the option to cut benefits to certain Medicaid populations and to roll back benefits.

HONOLULU—A downpour soaked Oahu on February 27, 2004. High winds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning gridlocked Oahu streets. Many areas were flooded, trees were downed, and power was knocked out in Salt Lake and Pearl City. Mud and debris slides further worsened travel into Honolulu.

Dave Mori 
Oahu Division Director

labor agreement. That contract ran three years from July 2000 to October 31, 2003.

The contract fell short in a number of areas, but it was far better than what KSL first proposed. Grand Wailea members decided to live with the second rate conditions of that first contract, but in future negotiations they fully intended to recover lost gains and bring Grand Wailea wages and benefits up to previous first-class levels.

This in turn would help protect the jobs and futures of hundreds of ILWU sugar workers.

by surprise. Many had been born and raised in the camp, which has become a tight-knit community where everyone knows each other. The residents wanted to save Poamoho—they didn’t want their community destroyed.

More time needed 
The ILWU moved quickly to help the residents save their community. The union has a lot of experience in converting plantation camps into low-cost housing for members and retirees. However, it would be almost impossible to develop such a housing program before the June 30 deadline.

The working class has no interest in war. Only in a stable, secure, peaceful world can the ILWU, or any other union, hope to be able to fight for and win those improvements in the lives of the members to which the trade union movement is dedicated.

ILWU policies and actions on foreign affairs have always been built on the belief that international labor solidarity and world peace are the cornerstones of social and economic justice for all workers, including the membership of the ILWU.

“Of all the enemies to liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded...”

These are the words of James Madison, who is often called the “Father of the Constitution” because many of his views about
government became part of the U.S. Constitution. Madison also served as the 4th President of the U.S. from 1809 to 1817.