Wesley Furtado

     Wesley "Wes" Furtado is a second generation longshoreman and member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142.  He worked on the waterfront for years and became a shop steward, longshore unit officer, and longshore negotiating committee member.  Furtado became a rank and file organizer who worked on and led campaigns to organize thousands of workers in Hawaii in various industries.
 
     Wesley Furtado was elected to a business agent position where he serviced the membership and enforced union contracts.  He was later appointed as ILWU International Representative, continuing to organize workers and negotiate contracts.  As International Representative Wesley helped develop the ILWU's organizing program in Hawaii and helped recruit and train rank and file organizers.  He interprets ILWU contract language as a member of the Hotel Adjustment Board, which is the grievance procedure third step of some ILWU hotel contracts. 

     In 2000, Furtado was elected ILWU International Vice President (Hawaii Region) and he continued to organize and negotiate first contracts for workers.  In 2003, he was re-elected as ILWU International Vice-President.  As ILWU International Vice-President, Furtado has assisted the Inlandboatmen's Union (an ILWU affiliate) in its Hawaii contract negotiations.  He participates on the ILWU Local 142 Executive Committee and Executive Board.  Furtado is also the Vice President and Executive Board member of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO.

     Wesley Furtado is currently an Executive Board member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO.   Furtado remains committed to organizing, negotiating first contracts for workers, and improving the ILWU organizing program.