UPW chief searches for pro-labor allies

By Bob Dye
Kailua writer and historian

This broad-shouldered guy dressed like a cattle rancher will be more than a speed bump in the path of Jeremy Harris' drive to Washington Place. He'll stop the Harris juggernaut dead in its tracks, if he can. And in the meantime he'll take a toll of those legislators who voted for privatization of government operations.

And on those who changed the public workers' health fund system.

But they all have a chance to recant and mend their ways.

Do you have a hit list?

"Not at this time," United Public Workers head Gary Rodrigues answers with a straight face. "But I do have a list of legislators and how they voted." He smiles.

We have lunch at Golden City Restaurant, a Chinese eatery next to the UPW headquarters on North School Street. Gary suggests we share a plate of chicken pieces. It comes with a big bowl of rice, plus endless tea. He's a light eater, so I get to pig out. But the serving dish was filled so generously that even I couldn't eat all the tasty bits and pieces. The tab was about seven bucks-fifty.

Such a bargain!

Who does Gary like in the 2002 races?

Gary says he is leaning toward supporting the gubernatorial candidacy of Mazie Hirono, the lieutenant governor, "because she has shown that she is pro-labor."

That she is. Only recently she was on the picket line. Mazie, who was off-island when asked for her reaction to Gary's remark, said through a spokeswoman: "Gary sees to it that public workers are not exploited. I'll be pleased to have his support."

If for some reason Mazie doesn't run, Gary will talk to Andy Anderson. "I dealt with Andy when he was managing director of the city. I like him. He's straightforward and a man of his word."

They go back a long way. When Andy was a state senator, he was one of Gary's mentors, explaining the intricacies of the legislative process to the future labor leader.

Later, I ask Andy what he thinks of privatization:

"This bill got a lot of public hype as a cure-all, money-saving measure, and the Legislature overreacted by drafting a terrible bill. For example, why should the government employee have to go to work day after day with fear that at any time he or she could be fired, not for incompetence or being a laggard, but at the whim of an administration trying to balance a budget on their backs? It's just not fair, nor good business. The employees didn't hire themselves. They didn't grow government to the disproportionate level it is today. Those who sought passage of this legislation are basically the ones to blame, as they hired all these people in the first place."

Mayoral candidate Frank Fasi answered the question: "I hear that word privatize and a red flag goes up." His voice rose in anger. "Privatization is a gimmick used to take care of cronies and other campaign contributors. And it can be used to destroy the public workers unions and keep their members from getting what they deserve. In all my years as mayor, I found the public workers unions to be very reasonable. If we had differences, we talked them over and resolved them amicably."

Mayoral candidate Mufi Hannemann said: "My litmus test is:

1. Are there cost savings by using public workers? ... 2. Are they more efficient? If so, why privatize? If not, of course I would look at that option. One caveat: I'd be very cautious about privatizing in the areas of public health and safety."

Mayoral candidate Duke Baibum said:

"Privatization is a tool to better manage the city. But it's very important how and where you implement it. We're doing some privatization now, to a limited degree. I think it could be a win/win situation."

Gary, what about Clayton Hee's bid for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor?

His eyes open wide and he smiles broadly. "You can't argue with 156,000 votes."

Those are the votes he received in his statewide OHA election last year, second only in number to those cast for U.S. Sen. Danny Akaka. Gary predicts Hee will win, dismissing Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura's candidacy with a wrinkle of his nose. Then he chuckles at the possibility of Harris' having to serve with Hee at his side. "Every time Harris says something, Hee will tell what the truth is."

Gary thinks an Anderson & Hee ticket would be "unbeatable" in the general election. "Andy should have become a Democrat a long time ago."

Clay likes Gary, too. "We've always gotten along, because we're cut from the same cloth. We take strong positions." Hee was employed as an industrial relations officer for UPW, from 1985 to 1988.

Will you support Patsy Mink in her bid for re-election to Congress?

"She's pro-labor. You don't have to ask for her support. It's always there."

Could state Senate Vice President Coleen Hanabusa, who voted for privatization, beat Mink in the Democratic primary?

"No."

Could Kaua'i Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, a proponent of privatization, beat Mink in the general?

"No."

What about the re-election of U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie?

"I'm going to have to talk to Neil. He's supporting Harris."

You supported Mufi Hannemann in the last election. Does he still have your support for mayor?

"I lean towards him. But his opponents will again be calling him a bully, just because he's big."

He points at me, I think in the general direction of my belly. "You're big, but nobody calls you a bully."

I only bully up to Murphy's bar, I joke.

There will be seven seats open on the Honolulu City Council. Will you be active in those races?

"Super-active. And in the Kaua'i mayor's race. And in each and every other race in this state. Candidates will have to say if they are for or against privatization; for or against restoring the health fund benefits."

And if they oppose the UPW position?

"In close races, the votes of public workers will make a difference."

You do the math: As of January, there were 639,258 registered voters in the state. In the last election, the turnout statewide was 58 percent, or 371,299 voters.

There are roughly 73,000 members of public worker unions in the state. Not all workers are registered to vote, of course. But according to HGEA surveys, 90 percent of their nearly 41,000 members are registered. And of those, 90 percent cast ballots.

Gary is vigorously registering union members and their families as voters. And he is about to barnstorm the islands to solidify voter support. Solidarity!

Says Clayton Hee, "As long as Gary and Russell Okata (head of the Hawai'i Government Employees Association) are around, the privatization and health fund issues are far from dead."

Does Gary Rodrigues have a chance of reversing the anti-public union legislation? The answer to that was signaled when Gov. Ben Cayetano invited legislators to a signing ceremony for the bills Gary opposed, and they all sent their regrets. Senate President Bobby Bunda explained: "The Democrats have to show a sensitivity; the unions are the backbone of who and what we are."