Kamu, a valet at The Modern Honolulu, took a stand for his seniority rights. The Modern Honolulu wrongfully changed his seniority, so he took action and presented the facts to Human Resources in a grievance meeting with the union. Kamu won his grievance case, and the employer corrected his seniority. The employer also agreed to pay him back wages. Kamu said he was going to see his case through all the way, and he did!
Kavika (left) filed a grievance with the Local 5 Contract Enforcement team and won his grievance.
Kavika has worked at Kaiser Permanente as a Transporter for three years. Last year, he applied for a Maintenance Worker 1 position. He was denied even though he was fully qualified, and he was never given an in-person interview. Instead, Kaiser gave the position to a non- Kaiser worker. To make matters worse, in January 2014 Kavika was notified that Kaiser was eliminating the Transport department and that he would be losing his job. Kavika filed a grievance with our Contract Enforcement team, and on April 14, 2014, he was offered the Maintenance position! He started work as a Maintenance worker on Monday, April 27th.
1533 YES
128 NO
7 Spoiled
2100 votes cast. 1975 good. 76 spoiled. 59 challenged.
| Eric Gill 1588 | Adore Udani 425 |
|
Novena Agas 1537 |
Marilyn Custodio 411 |
| Lydia Agustin 1516 | Corazon Quinesares 392 |
| James Bartolome 1510 | Lolita Rodriguez 391 |
| Evelyn Barnatia 1503 | Raul Tan 388 |
| Evelyn Marcelino 1500 | Juanita Tan 381 |
| Cesilee Linares 1498 | Liz Ramos 379 |
| Juliana Alcaraz 1497 | Arlene Inoue 370 |
| Liza Pintor 1495 | Nelia Dingal 370 |
| Shayne Yabui 1488 | Suzanne Benson 368 |
| Ester Carey 1487 | Violeta Cabuyadao 367 |
| Momi Hai 1487 | Caridad Berzamina 367 |
| Jason Maxwell 1485 | Josephine Carter 365 |
| Angela Prigge 1478 | Stacia Scanlan 360 |
| Joli Tokusato 1476 | Myline Blando 359 |
| Blace Valenzuela 1476 | Mary Ann Dumaslan 350 |
| Berry Griffin 1475 | Marleen Siona 338 |
| James Giffard 29 | |
| Jatin Dharia 16 |
The Modern Honolulu was required to pay a total of $23,543.99 in back wages owed to current and former workers.
This past week, The Modern Honolulu was required to pay a total of $23,543.99 in back wages owed to current and former workers! The National Labor Relations Board found that the hotel unlawfully changed employment terms and paid workers less than they were owed. Congratulations to those workers who came forward to fight alongside the Union to hold the Employer accountable!
During the morning rush hour on April 25, Kaiser workers went downtown to sign wave and leaflet by the Bank of Hawaii‘s Annual Shareholder Meeting. We wanted to point out the hypocrisy of these big companies and their executives. Edward Pei, Kaiser Permanente Board Member and Executive Director of the Hawaii Bankers Association, is trying to take away our pensions while heading a banking association that pays its workers a non-living wage of $12/hour, while at the same time asking the community to support needy families with food and monetary donations.
We passed out leaflets to people coming and going into the Bank of Hawaii branch and to all the business people walking around in the morning rush hour.
Why are we subsidizing the labor costs of big banks and big business? These companies are trying to externalize the cost of their low wages/benefits to taxpayers.
Honolulu (April 24, 2014) – With a resounding 159-1 vote, union hotel workers at the Ala Moana Hotel ratified a new contract that will improve the lives of 327 workers and their families and bring Hawai’i a step closer to providing good jobs for everyone.
Hotel management agreed to match the new hotel contract that was settled with the other major Local 5 hotels, like Hilton Hawaiian Village. Under the terms of the new contract, Ala Moana workers will receive an extra wage increase each year until their wages catch up to those in other major hotels. In addition, management has agreed to make the sick leave provisions at Ala Moana match those in other hotels.
This is the first time in 27 years that the Ala Moana Hotel workers will receive the same pay and benefits that the major hotels get. When totaling the hourly wage, full family medical coverage, and guaranteed pension that these hotel workers receive, that amounts to around $31 an hour. Bringing another hotel up to that level brings Hawaii’s working people closer to achieving $31 for everyone.
“Today, we ratified and voted yes. Everyone is happy and satisfied with the new contract. After so many years, we finally received what we deserve and are being recognized like the other hotels in Waikiki,” says Liza Pintor, who works in the accounting department at Ala Moana Hotel.
Additionally, Ala Moana workers will not have to worry about falling behind in the next contract. Hotel management has already agreed to match everything that Hilton Hawaiian Village workers get in their next contract.
“We are so happy to get exactly what we’ve always wanted,” says seamstress Susanna Ramos, “We now have secure jobs and a secure future.”
The contract will expire in 2023 or at the end of the duration of the next Hilton Hawaiian Village agreement, whichever is longer.
Local 5 represents approximately 10,000 workers throughout Hawaii who work in the hospitality, health care and food service industries and is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, an international union that represents over 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.unitehere5.org.
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