1 - American Memory

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Unless we do something now to protect the public interest during a
shipping stoppage, Hawaii will receive one crippling blow after an-
other to its economic lifeline * * * the effect of which will be a long
term loss of confidence in the viability of our State economy. And when
we speak of the effect upon the economy we are not talking only about
protecting the profits of the businessmen. We are talking about people,
their jobs, their standard of living, and their entire quality of life—
all these things that are dependent upon a well-nourished economy.
There is a saying that half a loaf is better than none.
But why should the people of Hawaii settle for a half-loaf economy
when it is within the power of their government to insure the whole
loaf through legislation such as House bill 7189 ?
Since "World War II, our group of islands has been devastated by
a series of shipping stoppages. Seven major strikes have closed down
west coast and/or Hawaiian ports for a total of 594 days since 1946.
The first of these crippling strikes was a west coast shipboard union
strike which started October 1946 and continued for 53 days. A similar
strike starting in September 1948 continued for 96 days. Then came
the devastating 177 day ILWTI Hawaii dock strike from May 1
through October 25,1949, the longest and most severe of all the strikes
which have affected Hawaii and its people.
The fourth shipping stoppage was by the Sailors Union of the
Pacific and closed ports for 66 days in 1952. Ten years later, in 1962,
a west coast shipboard union strike shut down ports for 27 days.
During this strike, the Governor of Hawaii declared a state of emer-
gency after 22 days of total paralysis, and President Kennedy invoked
provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act to send the seamen back to work.
The matter was resolved during the imposed cooling-off period.
Two serious shipping stoppages have affected Hawaii during the
past 2 years. In July 1971, the IL'WU struck the Pacific Maritime
Association. This strike, during which President Nixon twice invoked
the Taft-Hartley injunction, lasted 134 days. And only 8 months later,
in October 1972, the Masters Mates and Pilots Union struck. A union
of 300 members was able to tie up the whole Pacific coast merchant
fleet for 41 days, cutting off supplies for some 800.000 people in
Hawaii during the critical pre-Christmas shopping season.
These shipping stoppages, totaling 594 days, have not been the only
strikes to affect Hawaii since World War II. There have been more
than 80 shorter or less damaging strikes which have cost over a 1,000
more lost days. Altogether, nearly 4 yeare time has been lost through
shipping stoppages affecting Hawaii since 1946.
Perhaps this figure does not sound as astonishing, as amazing, to
you as it does to me. Let me, therefore, describe to you how dependent
Hawaii is on surface shipping so you will understand the need for
Federal legislation at the earliest possible moment.
Because of its geographical location in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, over 2.000 miles from the nearest port, Hawaii can be reached
only by ship or airplane unless you are a strong swimmer. Shipping
is the only means of surface transportation and the only economical
means of bringing in most items. The cost of air freight, up to the
times the per-ton cost of surface shipping, makes this type of trans-
portation feasible in only a relatively few situations.