With the special session opening this Monday, October 28, Pride At Work Hawai’i celebrates the many unions – collectively representing over 30,000 working people in Hawai’i – who have stepped forward (so far) to proclaim their support for marriage equality, including Local 5, HSTA, UFCW, UHPA, Machinists 1998, HNA, Musicians, SAG-AFTRA, USW 12-591, and HSTSO. 

With the repeal of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in June, same-sex couples who marry in a state where it is recognized will have access to over 1,000 rights and benefits under federal law, including paying their federal taxes as a couple, taking guaranteed family medical leave to care for their spouse, and collecting spousal Social Security benefits.  Here in Hawai’i, every day that goes by without marriage equality is a day that same-sex couples and their families lack key protections and benefits.  This inequality is unfair, unjust, discriminatory and anti-union.