(Honolulu Civil Beat) – By Danny De Gracia. With the cost of living skyrocketing in Hawaii, calls to increase the state’s minimum wage have grown louder. But would it even make that much of a difference?
(American Prospect) – By Steven Greenhouse. This year, thousands of teachers, hotel workers, Google employees, and others walked off the job and won major gains. Which raises two questions: Why now? And will this continue?
(Honolulu Civil Beat) – By Stewart Yerton. During its annual investor day conference in December, the chief executive of Hawaiian Airlines corroborated something that should come as no surprise to people living on Oahu’s North Shore or new tourist meccas like Kailua and Lanikai.
(Hawaii News Now) – HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Crews moved through Waikiki in the early-morning hours of New Year’s Eve to clear out bulky items belonging to the homeless.
(Hawaii News Now) – By Rick Daysog. Eric Gill, treasurer for Unite HERE Local 5, said the offshore boom is pricing out many of his hotel union’s membership. The illegal vacation rentals, he added, are taking away hotel jobs. “What it does is create a well-heeled and wealthy group who are buying a piece of paradise and we have to compete with them,” said Gill.
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) – By Allison Schaefers. Six down, 14 more hotel contracts to go. Unite Here Local 5 workers overwhelmingly ratified a new contract Friday with the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort &Spa. The union now has 14 more expired hotel contracts to negotiate during this bargaining cycle, which started with 20 hotels.