Mayor Kirk Caldwell energizes strikers on day 27 of hotel strike

WAIKIKI (HawaiiNewsNow) - On day 27 of the hotel strike, Mayor Kirk Caldwell stopped by the picket lines Saturday to share his support for the Local 5 union members.

Caldwell addressed the energized crowd over a megaphone around 12:30 p.m outside of the Moana Surfrider hotel.

“I know the visitors come here to Waikiki and other parts of the island because of the aloha you show,” Caldwell said. “You can only show that aloha if you are rested and have just one job.”

“One job is enough,” is Local 5′s rallying cry as they fight for better wages and benefits from Kyo-Ya.

The union represents the roughly 2,700 workers on strike from five Kyo-ya operated hotels.

Caldwell’s address to the strikers was peppered with claps and shouts of “that’s right.”

“We cannot replace you folks with machines. Machines don’t have aloha. Without that, we lose our visitors because we lose our aloha," Caldwell said.

Caldwell joined the picket lines from the Princess Kaiulani and Moana Surfrider in crossing the street between the two striking hotels.

As day 27 of the hotel strike drags on, Local 5 and Kyo-Ya are still negotiating.

Local 5 says the negotiating committee was scheduled to meet with Marriott and Kyo-ya Saturday.

But there have been no words on a new contract or an agreement for thousands of workers to return to their jobs.

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