Summer Membership Meeting and
Pau Hana Pa‘ina July 30

Pride At Work Hawai‘i will be holding its Summer Membership Meeting and pau hana pa‘ina on Friday, July 30, from 5:30 p.m., at Cafe Hula Girl (1888 Kalakaua Avenue, The Waikiki Landmark). Parking in the building is available at $1/hr. Visit their website at www.cafehulagirl.com.

*Notice of Proposed Bylaws Changes* On Friday July 30, 2010, at 6:00 pm at Café Hula Girl (1888 Kalakaua Ave), the following changes to the Bylaws for Pride at Work Hawai‘i will be presented for consideration and vote by the membership: Proposal # 1: In Article V, Section 1, the requirement that “regular meetings” (or membership meetings) shall be held quarterly is changed to regular meetings shall be held at least semi-annually; Proposal # 2: In Article IV, Section 2, move the biennial election of board members from December to May. A copy of the Bylaws can be downloaded at www.hawaflcio.org/PAWHI/docs/PAWHIbylaws.pdf. These amendments are being recommended by the Pride at Work Hawaii Board of Directors.

Please join us as we review our accomplishments, discuss plans for an inclusive, more just future, and enjoy delicious pupus. This will also be an opportunity for members to present and discuss resolutions.

Special Election Candidate Survey Results

For the special election to fill the vacant U.S. Representative seat for District 1, Pride At Work Hawai‘i surveyed candidates about the organization’s priority issues as they relate to federal legislation and advocacy.

Our Special Election Candidate Survey asked about LGBT equality, immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, women’s equality, military issues, health care rights, and budget priorities. Of the 14 candidates, 7 responded: Jim Brewer, Vinny Browne, Rafael Del Castillo, Douglas Crum, Colleen Hanabusa, Karl F. Moseley, and Kalaeloa Strode. The other candidates were contacted several times via mail and telephone and did not submit a survey response.

We share the survey results to assist voters in making an informed decision.
Click Here.

Hawai‘i State AFL-CIO Convention Resolution

At the 23rd Biennial Convention of the Hawai‘i State AFL-CIO on November 6th, delegates unanimously passed a resolution, presented by Pride At Work Hawai‘i, reaffirming its commitment to fight against and eradicate workplace discrimination against LGBT people once and for all and to use the collective power and voice of the union movement to ensure equal opportunity for all workers in Hawai‘i.

The State AFL-CIO' general resolution #4 also calls upon affiliates to recommit to the fight against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression by continuing to fight for passage of and organize members in support of the federal Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the state's Civil Unions bill (HB444).

The Resolution is posted on the State AFL-CIO website at www.hawaflcio.org/.

AFL-CIO 2009 Convention News

PITTSBURGH, PA -- If there were any doubts that the American labor movement stands strongly in favor of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, they were set to rest the minute former United Mine Workers president Richard L. Trumka took the podium last Wednesday as the newly elected President of the AFL-CIO. Speaking at the labor federation's quadrennial national convention, the feisty third-generation coal miner issued a clear call for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voices in the labor movement and American life. Read more.

Pride At Work Hawai‘i affiliates with Hawai‘i State AFL-CIO
State Fed endorses important legislation for equality for LGBT workers

Honolulu: On Friday, October 26, 2007, Pride At Work Hawai'i (PAWHI) was represented for the first time as an affiliate of the Hawai'i State AFL-CIO at its 22nd Biennial Convention at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. PAWHI, which was formed recently by a group of LGBT workers and supporters, had affiliated with the State Fed only a few weeks earlier.

"This represents an important step in making sure the voices of LGBT workers are heard in their unions and the labor movement in general," said PAWHI President and Musicians’ Association of Hawai‘i member Steve Dinion.

The Convention showed its support for equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) workers by not only welcoming PAWHI to the State Fed, but also by passing two important resolutions, one endorsing the Employment Non-discrimination Act (Legislative Resolution #3), the other supporting the creation of civil unions in Hawai‘i (Legislative Resolution #6). At a time when civil rights and workers rights are both under attack, such legislation is necessary to help build equality and provide protection for LGBT workers and their families.

Dinion noted that LGBT workers need unions now more than ever. "A union contract can provide protections against harassment and discrimination, domestic partner health benefits, and emergency leave." Citing a recent study suggesting that gay men earn 23% less than their married heterosexual male coworkers, he also noted that a union contract is the surest way to make sure that all workers are treated equally.

The resolution in support of Civil Unions in Hawai‘i, proposed by the Executive Committee of the University of Hawai’i Professional Assembly (UHPA, an affiliate of NEA), noted that the refusal to legally recognize same sex relationships deprives thousands of families of the most important attributes of their labor: the ability to take care of and provide for their family members. “Without civil unions legislation, same sex couples in long term, committed relationships do not have the same legal protections and entitlements as married couples,” noted UHPA President Joe Chernisky. "The UHPA executive committee supports civil unions legislation as a social justice issue in the same vein as all the other social justice issues unions have championed in the past and continue to champion."

The resolution in support of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), proposed by HGEA Deputy Executive Director and Hawai’i State AFL-CIO President Randy Perreira, noted that unions believe employment discrimination of any kind is immoral and denies workers the dignity, respect, and equality they deserve on the job. “All those who believe in workplace equality should support this important measure,” said HGEA member and Pride At Work Hawai‘i Vice President Wayne Akana. "We appreciate Brother Randy and the entire State Fed for their stance supporting ENDA."

Pride At Work Hawai’i also submitted a resolution showing support for both US troops and the Iraqi labor movement by calling for an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq. The resolution noted that, in 2005, the Iraqi trade union movement had declared, “The principal obstacle to peace, stability, and the reconstruction of Iraq is the occupation... The occupation must end in all its forms, including military bases and economic domination.” Also in 2005, the AFL-CIO in its national convention called for the rapid withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. However, two years later, US troops - the vast majority from working families - continue to serve honorably in our country’s occupation of Iraq, in some cases having been redeployed two, three, or more times, at great cost to themselves and their families. The resolution passed unanimously.