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New Ballots for International Election

In August, all Hawaii ILWU members should be receiving a new ballot in the mail for the International ILWU Officers election. Please exercise your right to vote with this ballot. You must vote again even if you mailed back the ballot you received in July.

The ballots sent in July will not be counted. Due to a computer error, large numbers of the July ballots mixed up names and addresses.

Notices

March 23, 2009 - Need help with COBRA benerfits?

If you lost your job or need help with medical

coverage, you may be eligible for a new benefit

President Obama’s economic recovery program includes help for workers who lose their medical coverage because they are working less hours, were laid off, or lost their jobs after September 1, 2008.

Under the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), you can continue your medical coverage under COBRA and pay only 35 percent of the cost of the medical insurance for up to nine months. COBRA is a law passed in 1985 which gives terminated or laid off workers the option to remain in their former employer’s group medical plan. However, under normal COBRA, the worker must pay the full cost of the medical plan and may be charged an additional two percent for administrative costs.

The new law covers all workers and their beneficiaries eligible for COBRA from September 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009. Your employer should give you a notice of your right to continue medical coverage for the reduced cost of 35 percent. Your employer pays the remaining 65 percent of the cost, which they can recover by taking a tax credit.

If you lost your medical coverage after September 1, 2008, but did not take COBRA or stopped coverage because it was too expensive, your former employer should send you a notice by April 18, 2009. This notice gives you another chance to take COBRA at the reduced premium. You would not be eligible for this benefit if you are covered by your spouse’s health plan, by a new employer’s health, or Medicare. You would also not be eligible if you were fired for gross or very serious misconduct. You should not be denied COBRA coverage for less serious misconduct or incompetence.

If you think you should be eligible for COBRA but did not receive a notice from your former employer by April 18, call the Employee Benefits Security Administration office at 1-866-444-3272. You can also get more information from their website at [www.dol.gov/COBRA].

2009 - Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarship

Harriet Bouslog Labor Scholarships are available for ILWU children and grandchildren

Deadline for applications is May 1, 2009.

Ten scholarships are available every year and are awarded to seniors graduating from any high school in the State of Hawaii. The scholarships are for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, West Oahu, or Hilo campus and provide up to $1,000 per semester. The scholarship may be renewed for eight (8) semesters, provided the student remains a full-time student in good standing at the University of Hawaii.

ILWU Local 142— Important notice on Political Action Fund

Articles XXXIII of the Constitution and Bylaws of ILWU Local 142 as amended to March 14, 2007 reads:

“Section 1. The Local Political Action Fund shall consist of voluntary contributions. The Union will not favor or disadvantage any member because of the amount of their contribution or the decision not to contribute. In no case will a member be required to pay more than their pro rata share of the Union's collective bargaining expenses.

“Section 2. The Local Convention shall determine the suggested amount of contribution to the Local Political Action Fund by each member. Individual members are free to contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest. Monies paid into the Fund will be contributed only on behalf of those members who voluntarily permit that portion of their unit dues to be used for that purpose.

“Section 3. Those members who do not wish to have any portion of their unit dues diverted to the Local Political Action Fund, but who wish to make a political action contribution directly to the Fund, may do so in any amount and whenever they wish.

“Section 4. Voluntary contributions to the Local Political Action Fund will be made during the month of December. Each September, October and November, each dues paying member of the Local shall be advised of their right to withhold the suggested contribution or any portion thereof otherwise made in December. Those members expressing such a desire on a form provided by the Local shall be sent a check in the amount of the suggested contribution or less if they so desire, in advance of monies being collected for the Fund.”