OF September 2004 VOICETHE ILWU page 1 Volume 44 • No. 7 The VOICE of the ILWU—Published monthly except April and a combined June/July issue by Hawaii Local 142, International Longshoremen’s & Warehousemen’s Union September 2004 ADDRESS LABEL Union political action wins big in Hawaii Union members in Hawaii made their votes count and their voices heard in the 2004 elections. They worked extra hard to elect candidates who shared their views and would best represent their interests as workers. Volunteers made thousands of phone calls and went house-to-house to talk to On the Inside fellow union members. They registered new voters, mailed tens 2President’s Report: of thousands of leaflets, put signs in their yards, talked to their Thank you ILWU co-workers and families, waved at motorists, and they turned out members and retirees in large numbers to vote for union-endorsed candidates. 4Kauai pensioners have some fun! The results of their hard work labor incumbent Republicans in paigned for these Republican showed in a number of stunning the process. Only one labor- challengers—something not done victories in the November 2004 endorsed incumbent, Romeo by any previous sitting governor. 5Labor Day Lanai- style—chili, reggae, elections. Although John Kerry Mindo, lost his election. The Republicans used every and prizes for everyone failed to beat George Bush in the In the months before the elec- opportunity, such as Vice Presi- nation-wide vote, he won by 54% tion, Governor Lingle and the dent Cheney’s appearance in in Hawaii. Dan Inouye and Neil Republicans were convinced they Hawaii, to promote their candi- ILWU6 industry news Abercrombie were re-elected by would gain as many as 8 more dates. They flooded voters with wide margins to Congress. In the seats in the House of Representa- slick campaign materials and Island by island wins in Hawaii State Legislature, a total tives. They targeted 15 used some last minute smear the 2004 election of 51 labor supported candidates incumbent Democrats, ran some tactics. They also expected Bush 7 won their elections—42 incum- of their best candidates against to win in Hawaii and carry other Hotel Pension Plan bents were returned to office and them, and provided money to Republicans into office. Annual Report nine newcomers were elected, finance their campaigns. Lingle 8Summary defeating six of the more anti- personally and actively cam- —more on page 3 Next Local Executive Board Meeting scheduled for Dec. 16-17, 2004 • 10:00 am • 451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu OF page 2 VOICETHE ILWU September 2004 L o c a l P r e s i d e n t ’ s R e p o r t Thank you for a job well done by Fred Galdones, Local President ILWU, you did a great job in this election. On behalf of the Local Officers, I want to thank everyone who gave their time and energy to this union’s political action program. I want to thank the Working together, we made a consistently score very high when was the same there. In those difference. We scored a tremen- it comes to improving our schools, days, Hawaii was a society con- retirees who labeled and dous victory for the working helping the elderly with lower trolled by a small group of very stuffed tens of thousands people of Hawaii in this election cost medication, and protecting rich and very powerful people. and you should be proud of what the rights of working people. And the Republican Party served of leaflets, distributed you have done. On the other hand, most of the the interests of the rich and yard signs and more— Republicans in the House and powerful. Why does the ILWU support Senate scored very badly when it Many of us also remember how they continue to give so so many Democrats? came to issues important to it took years of struggle to change much to their union. As a labor union, the ILWU is working this. How politically independent. This families. Based on our scorecard, our workers I want to thank the members means we support candidates Governor changed the based on what they actually DO Lingle got Democratic Representatives who gave up their weekends to go consistently score very high balance of house-to-house in the community for working people, NOT on their the worst power on or their evenings to make hun- party affiliation. We look at score, as when it comes to improving the planta- dreds of phone calls. I want to whether these candidates share she op- our schools, helping the tions by our vision of a society that re- posed or thank the unit officers and stew- elderly with lower cost organizing spects the labor of used the ards who talked medication, and protecting themselves working people, that power of to members on into unions takes care of the less the the rights of working people. the job and I want to thank like the fortunate among us, governor’s registered every individual ILWU. How hundreds of ILWU member who that welcomes people veto to block nearly every single of all races and issue that was important to unionized workers registered to new voters. cast their vote for vote and used the power of the I want to beliefs and treats working people. labor-endorsed them as equals. ballot box to elect Democrats, thank the full- who shared their vision of a more time officers candidates. This vision puts us Importance of this election equal and just society. It would and staff who much closer to the Many of us remember when take many more years for the put in a 110 percent effort into Democrats then the Hawaii was a plantation commu- Democrats to enact new laws and this campaign and were always Republicans, which is why our nity. We remember how the turn the government around so there when we asked for their union usually endorses many plantation manager lived in a that it served ALL the people of help. I want to thank the political more Democrats and very few very big and beautiful house, Hawaii, not just the rich. action coordinators on each island Republican candidates. away from the mill and on the who committed two, three, or four We also take a hard look at highest ground, where they could Today, life for working people months of their lives and did voting records. And we keep a look down on us. has changed dramatically and for nothing but political action. scorecard of how candidates vote The rest of us workers lived in the better since the plantations I want to thank every indi- on issues that are important to very small houses around the days. We want to continue this vidual ILWU member who cast working families. mill or in camps near the fields. I forward progress and most of the their vote for labor-endorsed Based on our scorecard, our grew up in a sugar plantation candidates who share this goal candidates. Democratic Representatives camp on the Big Island, and it with us are Democrats. ◆ O R G A N I Z E ! ILWU organizes Sheraton The ILWU represents workers in the following indus- tries: transportation, agriculture, tourism, automotive, Keauhou Bay Resort retail, healthcare, and more! In October, 2004 workers at the If you know workers at a non-union company who new Sheraton Keauhou Bay need help securing their jobs and making improvements Resort & Spa joined our union at their workplace, let your union representative know! through union authorization Call the ILWU and ask for the Organizing Dept. at verification or “card check.” After your Division Office: the card-check was completed, a first contract was negotiated Hawaii—(808) 935-3727 covering job security, seniority Maui County—(808) 244-9191 rights, benefits, wage increases Kauai—(808) 245-3374 and pension retirement plan. Oahu—(808) 949-4161 OF September 2004 VOICETHE ILWU page 3 2 0 0 4 P o l i t i c a l A c t i o n W r a p - u p Solidarity key Voters support Democrats to election Union political action wins big in Hawaii, continued from page 1 victories None of this happened. Instead of makes the laws and the governor sponsible for the faithful execu- In the 2004 Elections, the gaining 8 seats in the House, the carries out the laws. According to tion of the laws.” The legislature ILWU joined other AFL-CIO Republicans lost 6 seats in areas the Hawaii State Constitution: serves to express the will of the unions in a coordinated thought to be Republican strong- “the legislative power of the State people because its members are campaign to elect legisla- holds. Instead of close races, most shall be vested in a legislature” elected to represent the voters of tors who will help working of the targeted Democrats won by and the “governor shall be re- particular districts. ◆ families. The unions inter- huge margins. Lingle waved signs viewed these candidates, and walked house-to-house for reviewed their voting records, Republican challenger Don and got their commitment to Couch, but Maui’s Roz Baker still support working class issues. beat him by over 2,400 votes. Those candidates who passed Former Republican Mayor of the test, got the union’s en- Kauai Maryanne Kusaka was dorsement. expected to give Gary Hooser the Working under the um- fight of his career, but Hooser ran brella of the Hawaii State away with 8,000 more votes. AFL-CIO, the unions fo- Oahu’s Tommy Waters beat a cused on helping those strong challenger by over 2,500 candidates with close races.