US House Candidate Kahele holds online forum backing Jones Act

by Michael Hansen Hawaii Shippers Council, September 24, 2020

The Democratic Party candidate for Hawaii Congressional District 2, U.S. House of Representatives, Kai Kahele, Tweeted on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, that he would be holding a forum on his campaign Facebook page at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, September 24, 2020.

Kahele is currently a Hawaii State Senator representing District 1 (the urban area of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii).

Kahele is supported by the Hawaii Democratic Party establishment and favored to win the general election in November 2020 .

His Republican opponent is Joseph Akana, a U.S. Air force veteran and resident of West Oahu Island. Akana has expressed his support for Jones Act reform.

Kahele’s forum – entitled “Labor: The Backbone of Our Economy” -- addresses labor union issues including the right to organize, living wage, The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), and the Jones Act.

Among the five headlined guests to Kahele’s forum is Randy Swindell, Honolulu Port Representative, International Organization of Masters, Mates, & Pilots (IOMMP). The Maters, Mates and Pilots, is a maritime union representing deck officers sailing on U.S. flag ships and stalwart supporter of the Jones Act.

In 2010, Swindell ran in the Democratic Party primary for the Hawaii State House of Representatives District 31 (the urban areas of Moanalua, Aiea, Aliamanu and Pearl Ridge on Oahu Island) and was defeated.

Kahele’s Tweet is copied below:

Kai Kahele

@kaikahele

US House candidate, HI-2

The right to organize and form a union, a living wage, project labor agreements, FMLA, the Jones Act, all important aspects of re-building the middle class. Major Hawaii labor reps will be joining on our next “Talk Story with Kai: Labor - The Backbone of our Economy” #unionstrong

9:06 PM · Sep 22, 2020·Twitter Web App

TWITTER.COM

Kai Kahele on Twitter

“The right to organize and form a union, a living wage, project labor agr