Local 5 and other unions that make up the Alliance of Healthcare Unions worked jointly with management on projects in 2023 that led to a historic savings of over $90 million. Through the Alliance Performance Sharing Program (PSP) Kaiser workers earned bonuses for meeting the annual goals of the program. Alliance workers in Hawai‘i also […]
On Friday, March 8, Ilikai workers reached a tentative agreement with the company and settled the strike that began earlier that day. At 6 a.m. workers walked off the job and announced they would be going on strike after going more than five years without a new contract.
At the time, Ilikai workers made $8/hour less than other Waikiki hotel workers, and the Ilikai hotel had not brought back automatic daily guestroom cleaning, while the majority of other Waikiki hotels have. Additionally, Ilikai guestrooms are twice the size of an average hotel guestroom and all include full kitchens.
“We do the same work as other hotel workers in Waikiki. We deserve the same pay and the same standard as them,” said Pamela Balintona a housekeeper at the Ilikai hotel.
Highlights of the tentative agreement:
“We’ve been fighting for six years to show that all of us workers at the Ilikai Hotel are not secondclass citizens, and today we finally won that fight,” said Merlinda Castro, housekeeper at Ilikai Hotel. “So many of us housekeepers are women who work hard every day to provide for our families so it means even more to me that we won a fair contract today on international woman’s day.”
*On Tuesday, February 20, 100% voted YES to ratify their contract.
Read and watch the news coverage at the links below:
KITV: Ilikai Hotel workers settle new contract on International Women’s Day
Star Advertiser: Ilikai Hotel workers reach tentative deal with company
Hawaii News Now: Unionized workers, Ilikai Hotel reach deal after hours-long strike
In January 2024, waithelp at The Buffet at Hyatt Regency won their grievance against management and $13,000 in backpay.
Since June 2023, management had not been honoring the section in their CBA that said buffet waithelp should receive a 15% service fee for all comped meals. Pamela Toma, their shop steward, gathered receipts to show that management was in violation. Together, the workers organized to bring this issue to management and put a stop to this unfair practice.
Contract Enforcement of section 7.8.B. Meal Period.
Know Your Rights ~
Sherry Lopez Shop Steward from Kaiser Moanalua Hospital, she discovered Lift Technician’s Foa & Rene took their meal period 30 minutes prior to their end of shift. Steward took into action & notified the Employer that if an employee is required to work more than six (6)hours after the start of the shift without being given an uninterrupted thirty (30)-minute meal period, the employee shall be paid at the applicable overtime rate for all time worked after the sixth (6th) hour until such time as the employee is given an uninterrupted thirty(30)-minute meal period.
Employer agreed to compensate for the overtime.
The situation was resolved prior to escalating to a grievance. Workers Lead!
On November 17, 2022, the Employer did not call to offer temporary work opportunity & overtime (OT) to backfill and staff the linen department at Moanalua. Workers discovered Management conducting Bargaining Unit work.
Committee Leaders ( George Kawelo, Alex Dona & Claire Rabe), Shop Steward ( Amelia Iese), investigated that Vic Cabuloy was not contacted. He indicated that he was willing to work if it was offered.
The Employer has recognized Vic Cabuloy be compensated on paying the lost work opportunity on 11/17/22, and Temporary Work Opportunity & Overtime be offered to Bargaining Unit Members.
Union workers dedicated to
uphold the dignity of Labor✊🏾