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.

Who do you call if your house is on fire? You call the fire department. Who do you call if someone steals your car or takes something from you? You call the police department. Who do you call if someone is drowning or has a heart attack? You call 911. Who do you call if you get in trouble with the law? You call a lawyer. Most of you know there is someone to call if you have a problem like this.”

f you have a problem like this.” But who do you call if you are a worker and union member—say a bartender or cook in one of our hotels, or a nurse in a hospital, or if you are a state or county worker? Who would you call if your employer didn’t pay you properly for time you worked; if you didn’t get a promotion or was treated unfairly; or if your job is unsafe; or if your boss blamed you for something you didn’t do. In all of these cases, you would call your union Business Agent and it would be their job to help you out.

A union Business Agent is many jobs rolled into one. We’re like Fire and Rescue because our members call us when they have a problem on the job. We’re like the Police when we go after companies who cheat their workers out of their wages. We’re like Lawyers when we advise our members about their rights on the job or represent them in disputes with management. We’re like Social Workers when our members come to us for help with immigration or family problems. We’re like Teachers when we educate workers about the union and their rights. We’re like Mediators when we try to settle conflicts and disagreements between workers and management. We’re Negotiators when we talk with management about getting better benefits and higher wages.

A Business Agent does all of these things, but it is a very rewarding job. It is a job where you know you are helping people everyday of the week. It is a very interesting job, because everyday you do something different.

you do something different. So how do you get a job as a Business Agent, how many jobs are there, and what are the requirements? Business Agents are employed by Unions—which Who do you call if you’re a worker? are organizations of workers. There are about 100 unions in Hawaii that represent about onefourth of Hawaii’s workers—about 125,000 people. Some unions are small and have only one or two employees. Larger unions like the ILWU or the government workers union like the HGEA or teachers union have 25 - 50 employees.

In our union, the ILWU, our members elect their Business Agents, but there are many unions that hire people for the job of Business Agents. I would guess there are about a hundred jobs available for people who are interested in such work. Most unions look for a college education and some experience with unions.

What’s the best way to get a job as a Business Agent? Go to work at a unionized workplace, and get active in the union as a volunteer. Or help organize a union if the workplace is not unionized. This is how you gain a lot of experience and education about unionism. And if you have the right stuff, you’ll be able to move up within the union organization and get a job as a Business Agent. ◆