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. As a member of ILWU Local 142, you are part of a long and proud tradition where workers join or form organizations for their mutual benefit and to promote fairness and justice on the job. These organizations are called labor unions, trade unions, or just unions.
Your membership in the ILWU started when you were hired into your job. At the time you were hired, you signed a form which allows for the automatic payment of union dues by payroll deduction. This form also serves as an application for membership in the union. The company you work for is a unionized company, which means all workers covered by the union contract must also become members of the union. This is only fair as all workers covered by the union are equally entitled to the wages, benefits, and protection of the union contract. The workers who are part of the union are sometimes called “covered” workers or “bargaining unit” employees.
A few employees at your company are excluded by U.S. labor law from becoming members of the ILWU. These include supervisors, management personnel, security guards, or certain professional and confidential employees. Employees who are excluded from the union are sometimes referred to as “non-bargaining unit” or NBU employees. Since they are excluded from joining the ILWU, the ILWU negotiated collective bargaining agreement does not apply to them.
In some companies, the ILWU may represent only one part of the workforce, such as only distribution or only clerical workers. The other workers may be represented by another union, or, if there is enough interest, could be organized into the ILWU. Call the ILWU Organizing Department if you know people who want to join the union.
What is Local 142?
Local 142 is one of 52 separate unions which make up the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. These local unions are located in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. The ILWU also includes Canada and Panama Divisions, the affiliated Inlandboatmen’s Union, the American Radio Association, and the Kauai and Maui County Paramedics.
Most of these locals were part of the ILWU since the 1930s and share the same principles of a democratic union run by the membership. Each local union could operate on its own, but has chosen to be part of the ILWU.
Each local contributes money to run the overall ILWU organization, which is called the International ILWU or just International. The headquarters of the International is located in San Francisco, California. Local 142 is based only in Hawaii. We have our own officers, constitution, and structure. Our headquarters are located in Honolulu at 451 Atkinson Drive.
Local 142 is made up of four island Divisions, and one longshore Division. Each geographical Division is made up of the units in that Division. The longshore Division is a statewide Division made up of all longshore industry members.
There are over 18,000 ILWU Local 142 members in Hawaii. They are employed in every major industry including: Longshore, Sugar, Pineapple, Tourism, and General Trades.
General Trades include warehousing, trucking, cement and concrete manufacturing, automotive service and sales, bakeries, newspapers, supermarkets, hospitals, construction, macadamia nut and coffee industries, as well as diversified agriculture.
ILWU Local 142 members work at diverse jobs such as lab analysts, fruit packers, auto technicians, truck drivers, bellmen, waiters and waitresses, heavy equipment operators, housekeepers, sugar field workers, store cashiers, clerks, X-ray technicians, golf course maintenance workers, and salespersons.
Our motto is “An Injury to One is an Injury to All,” and we work hard to improve the lives of all working families in Hawaii.
You have rights on the job
As a member of a union, you have rights on the job. With the ILWU you have the combined strength and experience of the union on your side.
You have the right to have a union steward or business agent help you with any problem on the job. You have the right to ask for a union representative if the company calls you into a meeting which may lead to disciplinary action.
If you have a question or problem, the first thing you should do is talk to your onthe-job steward.
Your company is called a “unit” within the ILWU structure. Each unit has its own elected officers and union stewards, who serve as volunteers. They get no special treatment or privileges from the company or from the union, but they are ready to help you and your fellow workers.
