Union leader faces challenge
| • | Ridership 'light' on Day 1 |
| • | Lee Cataluna: Return of buses brings mostly relief |
Advertiser Staff
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| Mel Kahele is up for re-election as president of the union.
Advertiser library photo • Sept. 17, 2003 |
Now that the bus strike is over, Mel Kahele, president of the Hawai'i Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996 union, will face a referendum of sorts on his handling of the strike in the form of a contested election for the union's top post.
When the union determined Sept. 17 that Kahele challenger Anson "Slim" Ilae was not eligible to run for union president, it appeared that Kahele would be the only candidate.
But Ilae's attorney, Michael Green, said yesterday that Teamsters officials have reassessed a dues payment issue that involved Ilae drawing workers' compensation insurance pay after an on-the-job injury in November and have concluded that Ilae is qualified to run against Kahele.
Ballots were supposed to have been mailed out to Teamsters members Friday, but the challenge likely will delay the mailing by a week or 10 days, union officials said.
