Today the Associated Press dropped a bombshell of a report on Hawaii's fishing industry: much of the fish we eat in Hawaii is caught by foreign crews working under deplorable conditions that pretty much match the definition of indentured servitude. Here's an excerpt of the AP's findings: Hundreds of undocumented men are employed in this unique U.S. fishing fleet, due to a … [Read more...] about UPDATED: Associated Press reports on horrible working conditions for foreign crews who catch much of Hawaii’s fish
labor
Quizunderstood: How well do you know Hawaii labor strikes?
1. Nearly 2,000 workers for a big company in Hawaii walked off the job on Feb. 2, starting a strike that’s scheduled to run until midnight on Feb. 7. They’re objecting to a lower than expected wage increase and a plan to eliminate guaranteed pensions for new employees. Which company do they work for? A. Alexander & Baldwin B. Kaiser Permanente C. Hawaii Medical Service … [Read more...] about Quizunderstood: How well do you know Hawaii labor strikes?
State Workplace Training Program Gets Emergency Grant For Long Term Unemployed
Here’s some good news for people who’ve been unemployed seven months or more. This week the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced that the U.S. Department of Labor had given it an “emergency” grant for $1,769,095 to “expand the service capacity of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Dislocated Worker training and employment program.” Though the … [Read more...] about State Workplace Training Program Gets Emergency Grant For Long Term Unemployed
Talking Story With I Respect Dissent Author Tom Coffman About Former Supreme Court Justice Edward Nakamura And His Lonely But Principled Devotion To Workers Rights
Not long ago a local attorney told me that during Judge Richard Pollack’s recent swearing-in to the Hawaii Supreme Court, Pollack wore a robe that had earlier been worn by the late Justice Edward Nakamura. Not often spoken of today, Nakamura was a giant in Hawaii’s post-war labor and legal history. A powerful attorney and lobbyist for the International Longshore and Warehouse … [Read more...] about Talking Story With I Respect Dissent Author Tom Coffman About Former Supreme Court Justice Edward Nakamura And His Lonely But Principled Devotion To Workers Rights