The Hawaii Ports Maritime Council of the Maritime Trades Department yet again demonstrated its commitment to its local community by participating earlier this month in the Hawaii State AFL-CIO’s annual Labor of Love event. Every year, the Labor of Love supports a local school in a low income community. This year’s event benefited Dole Middle School in Honolulu, with over 300 volunteers from 23 different unions pitching in.
Affiliates of the Hawaii PMC who participated in the event include the Marine Firemen (MFOW), Sailors’ Union of the Pacific (SUP), American Federation of Government Employees, International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142, Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260, Hawaii Government Employees Association (AFSCME) Local 152, Elevator Constructors Local 126, and Laborers Local 368.
The volunteers set up new benches and picnic tables, laid fresh coats of paint on campus buildings, renovated bathrooms, and installed air conditioning units and laundry machines. All told, the school received nearly $80,000 worth of rehabilitation in just one day.
Hawaii State AFL-CIO President Randy Perreira (of AFSCME) said of the event: “At a time when our community is facing ever-increasing costs and new challenges, Hawaii’s labor unions remain committed to fighting to raise living conditions and improve the quality of life for all citizens. Our Labor of Love project is where all unions bring their talents and resources together to improve a school in need. Today our union members proudly demonstrate that labor unions in Hawaii are more relevant than ever as we showcase our skills and commitment as valuable members of our local community.”
At the conclusion of Labor of Love, the school hosted a Union Career Day. Several Hawaii PMC affiliates represented their unions at booths, educating the workers of the future on their potential career options. We look forward to counting some of those young people as proud members of the Maritime Trades one day.