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Transporter wins grievance against Kaiser Permanente

Kavika Stringer (left) filed a grievance with the Local 5 Contract Enforcement team and won his grievance.

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.

Workers at The Modern Honolulu receive over $23k in back wages

The Modern Honolulu was required to pay a total of $23,543.99 in back wages owed to current and former workers.

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!

Edward Pei Hawaii Bankers Association Bank of Hawaii Kaiser Permanente

Sign waving by the Bank of Hawaii Annual Shareholder Meeting

Edward Pei Hawaii Bankers Association Bank of HawaiiDuring 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.

Ala Moana Hotel workers ratify new contract

2014-04-24 09.48.46Honolulu (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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Ala Moana Hotel agrees to new contract

The Ala Moana Hotel negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend that their co-workers vote “YES” on this new contract.

The Ala Moana Hotel negotiating committee voted unanimously to
recommend that their co-workers vote “YES” on this new contract.

Ala Moana Hotel union members achieved their most cherished goal this week. On April 16, management agreed to match the new hotel contract settled with the other major Local 5 hotels—and give additional raises each year! The extra raises bring Ala Moana wages back in line with the rest of the major hotels.

For 27 years, Ala Moana wages have been behind. For 27 years, Ala Moana workers have felt this was unfair.

“All these years, weʼve felt we were being treated second-class. In this contract, weʼve finally won! No more second class!” says Susanna Ramos, a seamstress at the hotel.

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.

Also, Ala Moana workers donʼt have to worry about falling behind in the next contract—management has agreed in advance to match everything that Hilton workers get in the next contract, too.

Kupuna tell Kaiser: Getting old shouldn’t hurt!

Kupuna hula Kaiser Permanente Hawaii HonoluluLocal 5 retirees are performing the hula at Kaiser Permanente Hawai’i with a message to Kaiser: Getting old shouldn’t hurt! So far, they’ve performed at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua and Kaiser Permanente Honolulu.

Getting old doesn’t hurt for our retirees. They have their pension. Our members who work for Kaiser will lose at least $1200/month when they retire at age 65, if Kaiser takes away their pension. $1200 is more than just a number. It’s food on the table, caring for your family, putting a roof over your head.

If you believe that getting old shouldn’t hurt, join us at the Hawai’i Can! Rally at City Hall organized by The AiKea Movement. It takes place on Thursday, March 13 at 4:45p at Honolulu Hale. Good jobs are secure. Good jobs pay a living wage. Good jobs allow us to live comfortably after we retire. Good jobs for everyone. Hawai’i Can!

Kaiser, don’t touch our pensions! Getting old shouldn’t hurt.

The leaflet that our kupuna hula dancers have been passing out to Kaiser Permanente Hawaii patients

The leaflet that our kupuna hula dancers have been passing out to Kaiser Permanente Hawaii patients