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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 2:22 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Hawaii hotel workers union calls on lawmakers to approve civil unions

Advertiser Staff

A coalition of community groups led by the UNITE HERE Local 5 hotel workers'

union are calling for the state Legislature to pass a bill allowing civil unions in Hawaii.

In an open letter to state senators today, the groups pointed out that Hawaii voters in 1998 granted lawmakers the power to reserve marriage to opposite sex couples, "but did not obviate the Legislature's obligation under the constitution to provide equal protection to all of Hawaii's citizens."

House Bill 444 offers senators "an historic opportunity to extend equality to same-sex couples and their families," the letter said.

The letter urges senators to allow the bill to bypass the Judiciary and Government Operations Committee, which is deadlocked 3-3 on the measure, calling the matter a civil rights, economic justice and "ohana" issue.

"The notion that people have a right to equal treatment from government is at the foundation of our democracy," said Eric Gill, Local 5 secretary-treasurer.

Leaders of other groups signing the open letter included Friends of Civil Rights and Filipinos for Affirmative Action, the Japanese American Citizens League, Hawaii NAACP, One Peace-At-A-Time, Ka Lei Maile Alii Hawaiian Civic Club, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Institute for the Advancement of Hawaiian Affairs, the Musicians' Association of Hawaii Local 677, Hui o Na Ike, the ŒIlioŒuokalani Coalition, the Pai Foundation, and the Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus.