BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT

 

1.                  Just so that we are clear, IBEW Local Union 1357 does not have a Collectively Bargained Agreement with Hawaiian Telcom.  The Company has imposed its will on employees by forcing in their terms of employment. Cuts to medical, cuts to pensions, cuts to service, cuts to sick leave, cuts to wages, cuts to training and quality have not turned this Company around. Systems continue to be a challenge, answer times in some areas have not been met for months, due dates still far out, revenues continue to wane as challenges tied to HTTV also continue (800 orders backlogged). Legal fees continue to mount, knowledgable employees continue to leave, competition eating us alive; what’s the answer … more contractors!

 

2.                  Things in Saipan are no better with COO Joseph Camacho continuing to rule from his roosts.  Recently, employees were terminated allegedly for theft, and a reduction in force resulted in 2 hourly employees being released from Saipan.  Members continue to work in fear, and the business, without the proper vision, now is destined to die on the vine. While we understand that the population of Saipan has dropped by 30%, the problems that we are experiencing didn’t just happen overnight.

 

Joe Camacho is paid 220k dollars a year to lay off our people and cut our benefits while we have members who need to rely on the Government to provide proper medical coverage for their families because their wages and benefits have not kept pace.

 

We have addressed the issue to the Board of Directors, we have filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against the Company, we will continue the grievance procedure, as well as look at other ways of pressuring the Company to relook at the Leadership and decision making capabilities.  Guam employees are reaching out to other Unions for representation.  The management team should be held accountable; if not, we will just die on the vine.

 

3.                  We are currently waiting for the federal court to rule on the State of Hawaii’s new redistricting and reapportionment changes.  The courts have set May 18, 2012 as the deadline to rule.  All seats except for those held by Senator Inouye, Governor Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Schatz will have to be voted on.  With so much at risk, working men and women have grown tired of the far right Republicans who only look to erode their quality of life by changing fundamental programs such as Social Security and Medicare.  I have attached an election schedule to my report, as well as a copy of the absentee ballot, and ask all members to please register to vote and make good choices.  IBEW 1357 will be coming out with a list of endorsed candidates shortly.

 

Besides National and State elections, IBEW 1357 will be conducting nominations for Local Union and Unit offices this December and all positions will be up for election:  President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager/Financial Secretary, Executive Board Members, and all Unit offices.  For those of you who have thought about getting more involved with Local Union activities, here is your chance.  Times have been very difficult for our members and we need to continue to provide support for our membership to ensure the survivability and quality of life for members and their families.

 

If you have any questions about nominations and elections, please check with Local 1357 Registrar Andie Kahakui.

 

4.                  Finally, what do we do?  Do we say oh woe is me, here we go again?  Skip that!  We must do what we have been doing for years; the responsible thing.  Steph Hao-Dahl and Ramiro Mendez recently lost their battles with cancer, but they fought against the injustices they believed the Company had imposed on us up until their last moments, joining their Sisters and Brothers on the Hawaiian Telcom picket line in spite of the physical challenges they were going through.  Don’t give up, Sisters and Brothers.  We are on track.  Hold these two administrations accountable; ask them to train you, ask them to commit to a safe and healthy environment, ask them to take care of the customers.  No matter how many bad decisions they make, we must continue with good fundamentals.

 

God bless you and God bless our Union.