Pāʻele Kiakona

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 has endorsed Green Party candidate Pāʻele Kiakona for Hawaii State House District 14, which the union says reflects “a rare crossover between organized labor and the grassroots movement that emerged after the Lahaina fires.”

The endorsement cites Kiakona’s work on Senate Bill 2919, legislation that granted counties the authority to regulate and phase out short-term rentals. The push was part of the “Fishing for Housing” movement led by Lahaina Strong, for which Kiakona serves as a lead organizer.

“This partnership is historic because it shows that the needs of our working class, our longshoremen, hotel workers and families, transcend traditional party politics,” Kiakona said of the endorsement. “Together, we fought for SB 2919 to take back our neighborhoods. Now, we are taking that fight to the State House to ensure that West Maui’s future is built on housing sovereignty, living wages and genuine community-led recovery.”

Kiakona is a Lahaina native, community organizer and lead advocate for Lahaina Strong. For more information about his campaign, go to VotePaele.com.