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.

There’s an old saying:  “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.”  That sure describes our Union in 2011.  The economy tried to kill us…but we got stronger with our Emergency Back-To-Work Agreement to keep more of our guys working.  Governor Lingle tried to kill us by vetoing our “Local Jobs for Local People Law”…but we got stronger and used our muscle to win an override of her veto so now more Local Jobs will go to Local People.  The scabs tried to kill us…but we got stronger and won the big work at Disney, Kamehameha Schools, housing projects, hotels, and the new rail project.  Every single time something or someone tried to kill us, we got stronger.

Let’s be clear.  For all the negative things some have said about our new Union structure, it is that structure that made us stronger.  It is always hard to change the old ways.  But we had to, we did, we were right, and we are stronger.

Your union has been overhauled to Organize, Service, and Train in a structure to better handle this new decade and far into the future so that even your children and your grandchildren can be proud to say I am a union member.

You now have four Agents to service you.  You now have seven Organizers to level the playing field for our contractors to compete to get you more work.  You now have a Training department not only for apprentices but for journeypersons upgrading to keep up with all the new products that are coming into our industries.

We look to 2011 with hope and optimism.  We have new tools in our toolbox to take our union where it has never been before.

Recently, the Organizing and Servicing agents went out to visit District Council 50 members. They are working at the site of the newly designed Walt Disney’s Aulani resort in West Oahu.   Construction began in March of 2009 and the first set of 200 rooms is scheduled to be completed by August 2011.  Currently, DC50 has approximately 120 members working on the project from drywall tapers to floor layers.  Disney has released an economic impact study.  Compiled by CBRE Consulting with the assistance of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, it estimated that in construction work alone $634 million will pour into the local economy and will create approximately 4,800 jobs.  The study also stated that once the resort opens, it is expected to generate about $271 million a year and create about 2,400 jobs.   A huge “Mahalo” to Disney for its foresight, belief and global ingenuity by creating a first class resort in Hawaii.  Because of the Aulani resort, many of our signatory contractors such as, George Raymond Painting, Group Builders, Island Flooring, Jade Painting, Fuller Glass Company,  Kalu Glass Company, Kula Glass Company, KHS&S, WE Painting, and Zelinsky Paining, who employ DC50 members, continue to work during this down economy!  Again, thank goodness for Disney!

The course prepares the worker for the special conditions that green and LEED projects have, and allows our signatory employers to pursue these jobs with confidence. Workers who complete the course know the importance of following the specifications to obtain LEED points, how to follow different jobsite rules and requirements, and the importance of a teamwork approach to these specialized projects.

During the months of November and December, the Annual Painters Local Union 1791 Christmas meetings were held, and this year was no exception.  District Council 50 traveled throughout the state to spread a message of encouragement and address issues ranging from the state of our economy to signs of a recovery.  Members were informed that we need to look to the future of our union; not just concentrate about what’s not happening.  Job actions, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), Developer’s agreement, Rail, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) are things we need now to get back to work!  Also explained was the recent structural changes that district council has gone through.  DC50’s Organizing, Servicing, and Training Departments are providing a new approach with more accountability – seeking out innovative ideas to job creation and most importantly, working to build a stronger union.   Over the past two year a lot of damage has been done to the economy, but the bottom line is – We need jobs!  Your union will work hard to get things moving and will work tirelessly until all members are working again!  Thank you for your loyalty, strength, and belief in District Council 50.  Let’s all band together and strive to make 2011 a better and brighter year!