Corrections workers picket UPW union office in Hilo

15 years ago

HCCC workers stage an informational picket line outside the UPW office in Hilo Tuesday morning.

Photography and story by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Picketers in front of the UPW office in Hilo.

Hawaii Community Correctional Facility employees picketed the United Public Worker’s union office in Hilo. The UPW represents them or hasn’t been representing them according to the sign-waving workers.

According to Jonathan Taum, a sergeant at HCCC, when Kulani Correctional Facility closed workers there with seniority started to displace workers at HCCC. Workers at HCCC said their contract is supposed to protect their jobs and former Kulani workers should have to fill vacancies statewide first but it hasn’t been the case.

HCCC workers wave at passing cars tooting their horns in support of their picket line.

Taum said HCCC workers aren’t happy due to the hardship of having to move and some are being demoted or laid-off. Workers from HCCC question why the Big Island was targeted when the Reduction in Force (RIF) was supposed to be statewide. Taum said no jobs were lost on other islands and lack of support from the UPW has led them to stage the informational picket lines.

See related media release.