Unite Here! Local 5

Home
United States
Honolulu, HI
Unite Here! Local 5

Now named UNITE HERE, Local 5 continues to be a key player in the International Union’s strategies and campaigns.

From the earliest days of Hawaii’s tourist industry, our union has led Hawaii hotel workers to fight for good, secure jobs with a future, in an industry where most workers around the world work below the poverty line. Chartered in 1938 by the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union, Local 5 has remained one of the International Union’s most important and successful local

unions ever since. Just as in the hotel industry, Local 5 members in Kaiser Permanente set the highest standard for wages and benefits in Hawaii’s health care industry, benefiting not only our members, but also all local health care workers. Since the 1950s, Local 5′s health care membership has grown to about 2,000 members — a large and important part of Local 5′s membership. Throughout our history, Local 5 has maintained a reputation for aggressive advocacy and powerful servicing on behalf of our members, and hard-hitting negotiations campaigns that deliver what our members need. That reputation for building power on behalf of our members enabled Local 5 to grow from a few hundred members up to the current 10,000 members.

07/29/2026

On July 23 and 24, over 200 Local 5 delegates and shop stewards gathered for our Union’s 28th annual Delegate Convention. The year’s theme was “UNITE our people, BUILD our power, CHANGE our future” setting the tone for the year ahead ✨

On Day 1, Local 5 members participated in trainings, heard from guest speakers, and took to the streets for a march down Ala Moana Boulevard.

On Day 2, we recommitted to growing our Union, learned more about the value of our relationship with our International Union, and approved our Union’s revised 2026 & proposed 2027 budgets, approved Board actions, and amended our Bylaws to add a new “food service” division seat to our Executive Board. Our Union has grown to represent nearly 1,200 food service workers at airports, in-flight catering kitchens and university campuses across our State.

07/25/2026

07/14/2026

As of July 13, Our Political Action Team and Executive Board have approved the following Primary Election endorsement recommendations. These elected leaders have proven their commitment to our Union and our campaigns. In the next week, those who are registered to vote will receive a Primary Election ballot in the mail. Election day is Saturday, August 8, 2026.

➡️Full list of endorsements available on our website https://www.unitehere5.org/2026-primary-endorsements/

07/10/2026

Yesterday, Local 5 members rallied at the Royal Kona Resort demanding management settle a FAIR CONTRACT NOW 📣

Royal Kona workers have been working without a contract since February 2025 and the federal government found that the company violated worker’s rights by bargaining in bad faith. Workers are asking their employer to respect their work and provide wages that keep up with their Big Island brothers and sisters.

07/06/2026

VICTORY 🎉 On June 3, Cecilia, the HMSHost LIH shop steward led a delegation and delivered a petition to the new General Manager about the behavior of a lower-level manager.

This manager has been playing favoritism, yelling/swearing, gossiping about personal situations, and workers got fed up with the disrespect. HMSHost workers held management accountable for their actions and won–at the end of June, workers got news that this manager will no longer be with the company 👏

07/02/2026

Join us for a One-day Organizing Training on Saturday, July 11th from 9am-3pm and meet union leaders who have:
• Organized workers in non-union workplaces
• Taken part in strikes and contract campaigns
• Stood up to multinational corporations
• Won life-changing improvements in pay, benefits, and working conditions.

📍Learn how they made it happen—and how you can too! Register online to reserve your seat for July 11th. ➡️ https://unitehere.jotform.com/261727995740066

06/26/2026

VICTORY 🎉 Congratulations Ilikai Hotel workers on ratifying their new contract today! When we fight, WE WIN 💪

06/15/2026

Congratulations DoubleTree Alana workers on ratifying their new contract with 100% voting YES 🎉 Nearly Local 5 members across Waikiki have now secured the standard won by Hilton strikers in 2024. One Union! One Standard!

06/07/2026

Health cuts kill ‼️ Yesterday, over 100 Local 5 members, other local health care unions, and community leaders were at the Hawaii State Capitol demanding accountability from elected officials regarding the massive $1 trillion cuts to the nation’s healthcare infrastructure as

As part of the Seven Days in June national campaign, candlelight vigils in cities across the U.S. and Hawaii were held to honor those already lost and the millions more whose lives are at risk if funding is not restored.

Learn more at SevenDaysInJune.org

06/04/2026

See you guys tomorrow! ➡️ RSVP at this link https://www.sevendaysinjune.org/event/52/june-5th-candlelight-vigil/ #

Address

1516 S King Street
Honolulu, HI
96826

Telephone

+18089412141

Website

http://www.unitehere5.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Unite Here! Local 5 posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Honolulu?