The ‘Local Jobs for Local People’ law passed yet out-of-state job poachers are being paid good taxpayer money. According to Act 68, out-of-state workers should not be working on state and city jobs. The economy has not turned around and our workers are facing their third economically devastating year. It doesn’t make sense. We won but the legislatures beholden to Lingle are still trying to prevent what is rightfully law from happening.

Last spring, the bills dubbed the “Local Jobs for Local People” bill, passed both houses only to be vetoed by then governor Linda Lingle. Then both houses unanimously overrode the governor’s veto to make Act 68 law. However, taxpayer money is still being paid to out-of-state workers for city jobs siphoning money out of the local economy still stuck in the recession and in a deep deficit and facing a 22% Japanese tourism downturn this year.

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades is a labor union of 140,000 plus men and women across the United States and Canada who are committed to providing the finest craftsmanship in the collective trades. Locally, District Council 50 was formed in 1999 and is comprised of painters, glaziers, architectural metal and glassworkers, carpet, linoleum and soft tile installers and drywall finishers and tapers. DC50 is more than 2,000 strong in the state of Hawaii.

“Local Jobs for Local People” Takes to the Streets
Afternoon Rally Tuesday – Labor and Business Come Together

Honolulu, Hawaii (August 17, 2009) – The “Local Jobs for Local People” call to action first heard from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 50 in a pointed, documentary-style commercial last week is taking to the streets. Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18, 2009, District Council 50 will be joined by unions, private business members and concerned citizens of Hawaii in the first “Local Job for Local People” rally to be held in front of the State Capitol from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

“This is the beginning of the ‘Local Jobs for Local People’ movement,” says Lynn Kinney, leader of District Council 50. “District Council 50 organized this initial rally and bought the airtime to get the ‘Local Jobs for Local People’ message out. What’s happening at Aloha Stadium is just a symptom. Hotels are being remodeled by workers and companies from the mainland. And now we see government jobs being sent to the mainland and our people sent to the scrap yard of unemployment.”

Allen Wong, president of the Painter’s Union and delegate for District Council 50 added, “We hope that the people of Hawaii will join us so we can build a real movement ‘Local Jobs for Local People’.”

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades is a labor union of 140,000 plus men and women across the United States and Canada who are committed to providing the finest craftsmanship in the collective trades. Locally, District Council 50 was formed in 1999 and is comprised of painters, glaziers, architectural metal and glassworkers, carpet, linoleum and soft tile installers and drywall finishers and tapers. DC50 is more than 2,000 strong in the state of Hawaii. Visit their website at www.DC50.org.

- end -

CONTACT:
Kimi Takazawa and Associates
phone: 808.384.6740
fax: 808.537.5432
email: kimitakazawa@gmail.com

Download the press release: “Local Jobs for Local People” Takes to the Streets (PDF)