AFSCME members in Hawaii urgently need our help.
Please donate to our union’s Fallen Heroes Fund so we can send help to members affected by the wildfires in Hawaii, particularly those in the island of Maui.
The death toll has reached nearly 100 and authorities expect that number to rise. The blaze that devastated Lahaina – a historic community in Maui that was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom – is considered the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green says the losses are almost $6 billion.
There are four affiliates in the state: Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA/Local 152); United Public Workers (UPW/AFSCME Local 646); United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), which includes workers on Maui; and AFSCME Local 928. Additionally, Hawaii is home to two AFSCME Retiree chapters: 142 (HGEA) and 646 (UPW).
More than 300 AFSCME members live in and around Lahaina. UPW and HGEA have joined together to collect items such as nonperishable food, water, and baby items and will ship them to Maui.
UPW State Director Kalani Werner said in a statement, “It is heartbreaking to see the devastation caused by the wildfires on Maui, and we stand in solidarity with United Public Workers members and families during this difficult time. We will do everything we can to support the Maui community through this crisis and along the road to recovery.”