HSTA president one of 400 unionized educators at Democratic National Convention

Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association President Osa Tui Jr. is one of 400 unionized public school educators comprising 10% of the delegates who selected Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

As an elected delegate representing the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party, Tui joined 40 other convention delegates from Hawaiʻi at the DNC, including Gov. Josh Green, Hawaiʻi’s four members of Congress, and several state lawmakers.

Tui said the strong union presence at the DNC signified a deliberate effort to mobilize every constituency for a decisive victory at the polls in November.

“Labor knows how to organize. Labor knows how to reach out to their members and let them know just why it’s important to vote for the Harris-Walz ticket,” Tui said.

“Every vote matters in this election, and so that’s why they’re making sure that they reach out to every constituency possible to make sure that we get out the vote in November,” added Tui, who attended his first national political convention this week.

On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama told the cheering crowd, “In this new economy, we need a president who actually cares about the millions of people all across this country, who wake up every single day to do the essential, often thankless work: to care for our sick, to clean our streets, to deliver our packages. We need a president who will stand up for their right to bargain for better wages and working conditions. And Kamala will be that president.”

On Monday night, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain wore a “Trump is a scab” T-shirt during his DNC speech and hailed Harris as someone who would advocate for working-class people.

Tui noted the popularity of unions is rising, particularly among younger generations.

He observed, “Our younger folks are keenly aware that unions are for the working people.”

With economic pressures like rising housing costs and stagnant wages, many young people are increasingly looking to unions as a means of securing their future, he said.

“People just can’t afford to live anymore, and they’re afraid for the future,” Tui said.

Tui noted moves toward unionization in business sectors traditionally resistant to organizing efforts, such as Starbucks and Amazon. Tui expressed optimism about the continued expansion of these efforts under a potential Harris administration.

“The Harris administration will continue the great work that the Biden administration has already gotten started,” Tui predicted, warning that the alternative could lead to a severe rollback of worker protections.

Tui stressed the importance of appointing federal officials who would support and advance workers’ rights, saying, “We need a Senate that’s going to appoint folks and not just leave seats empty.”

‘Never underestimate a public school teacher’

“We are super excited about Tim Walz,” Tui shared, referencing the former high school teacher and football coach who is running for vice president alongside Harris.

“You just see the humanity in him and all the things that… he brought to his students,” Tui added.

Walz taught high school in Nebraska and Minnesota before running for Congress and winning in a long-standing Republican district in Minnesota.

“Never underestimate a public school teacher,” he said Wednesday as he recalled his journey during a rousing speech to DNC delegates.

In a symbolic gesture of support Wednesday, Tui and his fellow educators wore blue “Educators for Kamala and Tim” shirts.

Tui praised Walz for his commitment to education, noting, “He brought the world to his students and was able to make them learn and think critically.”

He contrasted Walz’s record on education with the current political climate in some states, where education and critical thinking are under threat.

“That’s what we’re missing, especially in places like Florida and others where they’re just trying to ban books and they’re trying to get rid of LGBTQ rights. There’s a dismantling of education,” he said.

“We need to make sure that we’re raising critical thinkers if we want this country to move forward successfully,” Tui added.

Jean Dobashi, of Līhuʻe, is a convention delegate who retired in 2003 after 34 years teaching in Kauaʻi and Oʻahu public schools. The only other Democratic National Convention she attended was in Los Angeles in 2000.

Dobashi is serving her seventh and final year as national vice president of NEA-Retired.

She said she and Tui cheered extra loudly when speakers spoke about public education, teachers and students.

“If they talked about schools, we clapped. If they talked about how Gov. Walz approved free breakfast and lunch for public school students in his State of Minnesota, we would clap. Anything to do with education. You could hear Osa and me clapping away. We were so, so happy and proud,” Dobashi said.

Dobashi also said she was excited by the racial and age diversity of the crowd at the convention.

“As I look around, I see a lot of gray hair and canes and wheelchairs and all that. But then I see so many young people, and it’s so heartwarming to know that at this age, they’re getting involved with politics,” Dobashi added.