Demonstrations were held in every state in the nation on April 4, 2011 to oppose the attacks on workers’ rights to bargain collectively. Over 1,000 people attended the demonstration at the State Capitol in Honolulu including ILWU participants (l-r) Maurice Bisbee (4402 - Love’s Bakery), Oahu Business Agent Brian Tanaka, Kenneth Ige (4412 - Servco Pacific), Archivist-Librarian Rae Shiraki, IBU Regional Director Warren Ditch, Oahu Business Agent Mike Yamaguchi, Contract Administrator Michael Murata, Local Vice President Donna Domingo, Oahu Business Agent Dillon Hullinger, International Representative Mathew Yamamoto, Local President Isaac Fiesta Jr., Local Secretary-Treasurer Guy Fujimura, and Ruby Shimabukuro (4405 - Foodland Super Market Ltd.).

1 Unions are the only organization in our society that stands up for the interest of working people.

There are many different kinds of organizations in our community such as social clubs, sports leagues, churches, interest groups, and political parties.

Unions are the only organization that advances the interest of working people. Unions fought for the 8-hour day, for weekends, for holidays, for workplace safety, for unemployment insurance, for minimum wage, for workers compensation, and much more.

Unions continue to defend these standards and benefits which could be taken away if not for the labor movement.

2. Unions prevent industrial conflict and disruption to the economy by providing a peaceful and orderly process to settle differences between workers and management.

Before unions, workers who had problems with management quit, went on strike and walked off the job, called in sick, slowed down production, and sometimes destroyed machinery.

With unions there is an orderly and peaceful process to settle conflicting interest between workers and management.

By bringing organization to the workforce, unions prevent chaos and disorder. Unions help to manage the workforce through democratic means. Workers are able to discuss their issues and vote on agreements with management. If a majority of workers vote to accept an agreement, the union will maintain discipline

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