KANEOHE—“These ILWU members are taking care of the community everyday,” said Unit 4415 - Valley of the Temples Business Agent Shane Ambrose. Everyday, ILWU members who work at the memorial park take tender care of our loved ones who rest on the sloping green hills located at the foot of the Koolau mountains.

The well-landscaped grounds and tidy gravesites are a testament to their dedication and hard work. “When some people come in and can’t find their loved ones, we help them,” said Unit Secretary-Treasurer Troy Garcia. “Helping people, meeting new people —it makes me feel good about my job.”

Grounds maintenance workers Narce Pagdilao and Eugenio Pagdilao are first cousins who enjoy working together at Valley of the Temples.

Greg Fagaragan and leadman Jose Sarmiento have worked for Valley of the Temples for 18 years and 28 years, respectively. “We like it, belonging to a union,” said Sarmiento. “We have better benefits. Without the union, I don’t know [how it would be] . . .” Fagaragan nodded in agreement.

) Tomas Estalillia Jr. drives a Bobcat to transport vaults and granite. An employee for 17 years, Estalillia is a vault maker who makes the cement boxes used for burial and for interment of crematory urns. ” Our union is important because it fights for our rights,” he said. “when we have a problem, the union helps.”