Mel Kahele, left, makes his debut as new Teamsters president with
Secretary Treasurer Ron Kozuma at a news conference yesterday.
Photo by Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin

That policy is that the members come first, says Mel Kahele, who was appointed to the $78,000-a-year presidency of the 5,700-member union Monday by its executive board. The members-first policy is what got Chambrella, a former bus driver, elected to the Teamsters presidency in 1994, after a 20-year struggle since he first ran, Kahele told a news conference yesterday.

Chambrella's fight for the presidency included a winning vote in the mid-1970s that was overturned by the union's international board. Chambrella won again in 1994 and took office at the start of 1995, but with a majority of the board of trustees opposed to him.

Again, said Kahele, Chambrella's election was overturned by the international union but in a rerun in mid-1995, Chambrella won handily and this time brought with him an elected board that was solidly behind him.

That structure is still in place supporting the new president, Kahele said. Appointed to his executive team were Feliciano Ramos, who was moved into Kahele's former staff position of recording secretary, and Ron Kozuma, who continues as secretary-treasurer, a post he has held for a year.

Kahele said Chambrella continued until the last moment possible to work actively in negotiations for the biggest contract the union has before it, covering nearly 1,300 employees of Oahu Transit Service Inc., which runs TheBus for the city.

Eric Gill, assistant to the union president, said Chambrella had good days and bad days since the diagnosis of inoperable cancer earlier this year. "Friday was pretty much a bad day," Gill said, but Chambrella spent most of the day working despite intense pain.

Kahele said Chambrella's death will not delay negotiations on behalf of TheBus employees, who have been working on a contract that was extended indefinitely since it expired at the end of June.

"Mike would want this. He wouldn't want his members working without a contract," said Kahele, who took leave from Gasco two years ago to accept his first union executive staff position.

"We plan on continuing negotiations as soon as possible," Kahele said.

Kahele and other Teamsters executives said that there is no reason for the bus-riding public to worry, since many issues have been resolved and negotiations are down to the numbers on pay and benefits, in a situation where an amicable settlement is likely.

John Cowen, director of Oahu Transit Service, said he wouldn't like to start negotiations again until a mourning period for Chambrella is over, but he likes the idea that he will be dealing with the same leaders and the same negotiating team that supported Chambrella.

"He was a quiet guy, almost taciturn," Cowen said of Chambrella. "However he was honest and fair. I found him to be a professional."

Cowen described Chambrella as a person who felt very strongly about his members and was keenly interested in defending them.

Chambrella, who met his wife Janie on his bus route and married her in 1961, was born in Waianae and as a bus driver was taken under the wing of pioneer unionists such as Harry Kuhia, Joe Blurr and Art Rutledge.

Rutledge later became Chambrella's union election opponent, although he did not run against Chambrella in the 1995 election.

Chambrella was a humble man who wanted only to serve the members, said his successor Kahele. "I've never heard him say anything negative about anyone."

Chambrella is survived by his wife and two sons, Michael Jr., 34, and Wayne, 28.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be arranged but the family is working toward a public memorial service that will likely be held Monday, Teamsters officials said.