Hawai'i unions form coalition

By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer

For the first time in the history of organized labor in Hawai'i, local union leaders have put aside their differences and created a formal coalition to represent broader interests of the roughly 135 unions in the state.

Organizers of the Labor Alliance of Hawaii plan to kick off a public image campaign on prime-time TV as early as next week to promote a unified message of organized labor.

The alliance, representing about 145,000 public- and private-sector workers, will not involve itself in political elections or legislation, officials said.

The organization's formation comes at a time when unions are facing growing power from anti-union forces as well as pressure to preserve their members' jobs and benefits following the Sept. 11 attacks that triggered an economic crisis in the state.

Bill Puette, director of the Center for Labor Education and Research at the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu, said such a uniting of unions is unprecedented.

He noted that historically, Hawai'i labor unions have made several attempts to come together under a single umbrella, and have forged informal allegiances in the past, but until now had not created an all-inclusive formal alliance.

"It'll be interesting to see where it goes," he said.

Ron Taketa, financial secretary and business representative for the Hawaii Carpenters Union, said the genesis of the alliance dates to six months ago, but its coalescence is appropriate now as layoffs mount and work-sharing and other union issues arise in an unstable economy. "It is a time that we have a lot of important work before us," he said.

Puette noted that some Hawai'i unions — such as International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union — have had disputes that "now are less of an irritant to labor solidarity then they had been in the past."

Said Taketa: "People are putting aside political differences and personal differences, and coming together."

Under rules of the Hawai i State AFL-CIO, the largest affiliation of unions in the islands, unions not affiliated with the organization nationally may not affiliate with the state chapter, so several, including the Police Officers State of Hawaii Organization, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly are unaffiliated.

"It's a way for the independents to participate in a broader coalition," said Thaddeus Tomei, Hawaii State AFL-CIO president.

Stephani Monet, director of education and practice for the Hawai'i Nurses Association, another unaffiliated union, said she's looking forward to better coordination in communicating with other unions and the public.

"I think it's a way to kind of get the word out and find common ground between different collective bargaining organizations," she said.

The alliance will be introduced later today at a meeting of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO. Taketa and Russell Okata, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Union, will serve as alliance co-chairmen.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8065.