PRINCEVILLE — Princeville Resort employees decided to unionize late last month in a highly anticipated vote almost half a year in the making. Workers selected Local 142 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to represent them in a Dec.
PRINCEVILLE — Princeville Resort employees decided to unionize late last month in a highly anticipated vote almost half a year in the making.
Workers selected Local 142 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to represent them in a Dec. 28 runoff election. The union received 127 votes, compared to 94 for the employer, or no union, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
A total of 238 people cast ballots, a slightly smaller turnout than what was observed at the initial election on Sept. 24, which eliminated Unite Here! Local 5 from the running as the lowest vote-getter.
ILWU spokesman Michael Machado said the union is currently meeting with workers to identify issues and form a negotiating committee. He said contract negotiations are still in the preliminary stages and declined to comment on specific items that the union members will ask for during the process.
Princeville Resort management declined to comment on the outcome of the election.
Local 142 of ILWU is the state’s largest private sector union with a strong concentration in hotels, including the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa on Kaua‘i and two Starwood properties on Neighbor Islands. The Princeville Resort is also owned by Starwood.
