Former President Bill Clinton will highlight union rallies across the state later this month to endorse political candidates who support organized labor, the chief of the state's largest public employee union said Wednesday. Clinton’s schedule set for
Hawaii union rallies
Star-Bulletin staff
"This will be a pretty milestone kind of event, and to have President Clinton as the featured speaker will just add to the festivities and celebration," said Russell Okata, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association.
The first rally will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Blaisdell Arena. Okata said organizers are expecting more than 8,000 union members and supporters.
The rallies will then move the next day to the neighbor islands, first at 11:30 a.m. at the Kauai Veterans Memorial Center in Lihue, then 4:30 p.m. at the Maui War Memorial Gym in Wailuku, followed at 6:30 p.m. at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.
A tribute to the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink will be held at each site. The rallies are also intended to endorse the bid by Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and state Sen. Matt Matsunaga to be governor and lieutenant governor.
Okata said he did not have figures for the cost of Clinton's visit, which is being paid for by the HGEA's parent union with local expenses picked up by local unions.
